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Unit 8: World Trade Organization

suspend application to the member concerned of concessions or other obligations under notes
the covered agreements. In contrast to prior GATT practice, authorization to suspend
concessions in this context is semi-automatic, in that the DSB “shall grant the authorization
[...] within thirty days of the expiry of the reasonable period”, unless it decides by consensus
to reject the request.

figure 8.1: ministerial conference chart

Reporting to General Council (or a subsidiary)
Reporting to Dispute Settlement Body
Plurilateral committees inform the General Council or Goods Council of their activities, although these agreements
are not signed by all WTO members
Trade Negotiations Committee reports to General Council
The DSU states that fellow members should give “special attention” to the problems and interest
of the developing countries. If one party to a dispute is a developing country, that party is entitled
to have at least one panelist who comes from a developing country. Further, if a complaint is
brought against a developing country, the time for consultations (before a panel is convened)
may be expended, and if the dispute goes to a panel, the deadlines for the developing country to
make its submissions may be relaxed. Formal complaints against least developed countries are
discouraged, and if consultations fail, the Director-General and the Chairman of the DSB stand
ready to offer their good offices before a formal request for a panel is made. As to substance,
the DSU provides that “particular attention” is to be paid to the interests of the developing

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