Abstract

PEIXOTO BATISTA, Juliana  and  ALONZO, Joaquín Maquieira. The Current Role of the WTO in Multilateral Trade Governance: Crises and Continuities. Desafíos [online]. 2023, vol.35, n.spe, e9.  Epub Mar 21, 2024. ISSN 0124-4035.  https://doi.org/10.12804/revistas.urosario.edu.co/desafios/a.13235.

This article carries out a systemic analysis of the World Trade Organization (WTO), in the midst of its current crisis. The main argument is that, although the WTO is going through a deep crisis in real and symbolic terms, it keeps playing an important role in the increasingly complex multilateral trade governance. The paper analyzes the three main functions that the WTO fulfills in the multilateral governance of trade are: Being a forum for trade negotiations, providing an efficient system for settling trade disputes, and being an arena for discussion and review of minimum trade policy standards. The article is divided into three parts, each one dealing with one of the functions. In the first, the proposals for reform of the WTO are analyzed and the main issues that have advanced in recent years are exposed; in the second section, the performance of its dispute resolution system is analyzed as well as the debate on its reform. The third section analyzes the activities of the Trade Policy Review Mechanism. To conclude, we outline some final reflections. The research is based on a review of specialized literature on the subject, the analysis of primary sources (official documents of the WTO), including communications from member countries, joint declarations, reports of bodies and commissions, in addition to data available on the organization's website.

Keywords : World Trade Organization; crises; multilateralism; multilteral trading system; dispute settlement; transparency.

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