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WTO still far from functioning dispute resolution system — minister

The Organization is approaching this year "a sad anniversary" in the disputes’ resolution reforms - five years without the Appellate Body, Maxim Reshetnikov noted

ABU DHABI, February 28. /TASS/. The World Trade Organization (WTO) continues to be far from restoring the full-fledged and functioning system for resolution of disputes, Russian Minister of Economic Development Maxim Reshetnikov said.

"We are now as far from restoring the full-fledged and functioning disputes resolution system accessible for all members in 2024 as two years ago," the minister said.

The Organization is approaching this year "a sad anniversary" in the disputes’ resolution reforms - five years without the Appellate Body, Reshetnikov noted.

"The situation is being aggravated even further by those WTO members that continue taking unilateral restrictive measures undermining international trade, under the guise of false goals of environmental protection, national security interests or geopolitical developments," the minister stressed.

Reshetnikov also pointed to the need for meaningful participation of developing economies - WTO members in discussions and talks to overcome the Appellate Body collapse.

"We should focus all our efforts on the appeal mechanism. Without solving this issue, all the other superstructures and clarifications <…> are of little value," he added.

The WTO Appellate Body is not functioning since December 11, 2019, in view of expired tenure of arbitrators’ powers. The US is blocking appointment of new arbitrators. According to WTO rules, the consensus of all 164 member-nations is required to decide on appointment of arbitrators.

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