For many years, the WTO dispute settlement system was held up as the “jewel of the crown”.  The system is now under threat.  Some argue that the threat has been growing for years because of systemic concerns about the system’s operation while others point to the recent deadlock in appointing Appellate Body members. 
Regardless of the cause, we are now at a critical moment where the WTO Members need to find a way forward. 
Against this background, the panel will examine possible solutions to the crisis facing the dispute settlement system. It will seek to provide the perspectives of different WTO Members and different stakeholders on the factors that contributed to the current situation and on possible avenues to ensure that the WTO’s dispute settlement function continues to offer WTO Members an efficient and effective mechanism to resolve their trade differences.

Introduction:  Joost Pauwelyn, Professor of International Law, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies (IHEID) Geneva, and Visting Professor, Georgetown Law Center, Washington DC

Panel discussion with:

• Clete R. Willems, Partner, Akin Gump, Washington DC, former US Deputy Assistant to the President for International Economics and US Deputy Director of the National Economic Council
• Gitanjali Brandon, First Secretary Legal & Agriculture, the Permanent Mission of India to the WTO
• Alan Yanovich, Partner, Akin Gump, Geneva, former Senior Counsellor, WTO Appellate Body Secretariat

Moderator: Gabrielle Marceau, Professor of Law, University of Geneva

This event has been organized by the Centre for Trade and Economic Integration, the University of Geneva's Faculty of Law, and Akin Gump.