World Traders: The Case for the UK's Participation in the WTO MPIA

The World Trade Organisation (WTO) has long been a central pillar of wealth-maximising free trade amongst its member nations. But without the WTO's ability to settle disputes between states, via the Dispute Settlement Body, the benefits of tariff reduction and the elimination of non-tariff barriers would never have been realised.Until recently, the Appellate Body (AB) was the highest ‘court’ in the WTO’s dispute system. States which were unhappy with a legal judgement on a dispute could submit an appeal to be heard by the AB, which is composed of 7 experts in WTO law and is intended to be broadly representative of the world’s chief legal systems. It has the authority to uphold, modify, and reverse the panel’s judgement, but it is not permitted to deviate from any WTO treaties