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Unit 2: World Trade Organization

2.1.2 Formal Structure Notes

According to WTO rules, all WTO members may participate in all councils, committees, etc.
except Appellate Body, Dispute Settlement panels, and plurilateral committees.

Highest Level: Ministerial Conference

The topmost decision-making body of the WTO is the Ministerial Conference, which has to meet
at least every two years. It brings together all members of the WTO, all of which are countries or
separate customs territories. The Ministerial Conference can make decisions on all matters
under any of the multilateral trade agreements.

Second Level: General Council

The daily work of the ministerial conference is handled by three groups: the General Council,
the Dispute Settlement Body, and the Trade Policy Review Body. All three consist of the same
membership – representatives of all WTO members – but each meets under different rules.
1. The General Council, the WTO’s highest-level decision-making body in Geneva, meets
regularly to carry out the functions of the WTO. It has representatives (usually ambassadors
or equivalent) from all member governments and has the authority to act on behalf of the
ministerial conference which only meets about every two years. The council acts on behalf
on the Ministerial Council on the entire WTO affairs.

2. The Dispute Settlement Body is made up of all member governments, usually represented
by ambassadors or equivalent.

3. The WTO General Council meets as the Trade Policy Review Body (TPRB) to undertake
trade policy reviews of Members under the TRPM. The TPRB is thus open to all WTO
Members.

Third Level: Councils for Trade

The Councils for Trade work under the General Council. There are three councils – Council for
Trade in Goods, Council for Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights, and Council
for Trade in Services – each council works in different fields. Apart from these three councils, six
other bodies report to the General Council reporting on issues such as trade and development,
the environment, regional trading arrangements and administrative issues.
1. Council for Trade in Goods: The workings of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
(GATT) which covers international trade in goods are the responsibility of the Council for
Trade in Goods. It is made up of representatives from all WTO member countries.

2. Council for Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights: Information on
intellectual property in the WTO, news and official records of the activities of the TRIPS
Council, and details of the WTO’s work with other international organizations in the
field.
3. Council for Trade in Services: The Council for Trade in Services operates under the guidance
of the General Council and is responsible for overseeing the functioning of the General
Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS). It’s open to all WTO members, and can create
subsidiary bodies as required.

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