Reform of the WTO Appellate Body: Inspiration from the MPIA Practice Trial

Abstract

As a brilliant innovation of WTO, the Appellate Body has dealt with a number of international trade disputes since its establishment, which is of special reference significance to the dispute settlement mechanism. When the Appellate Body was paralyzed and suspended for more than three years, the MPIA emerged as an appellate arbitration mechanism to replace the appellate process temporarily. The MPIA rules mainly based on the appellate process and have been improved and practically tested in the more consensual aspects of the Appellate Body's reform program, such as trial limit management and focus on necessity disputes, which can provide reference for the future reform of the Appellate body.