On Wednesday 4 September, the European Commission adopted a decision authorising the Trade Commissioner to conclude arbitration agreements with non-Member States in the event of a possible blockage of the Appellate Body of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
This blockage could occur as early as December 10.
These interim agreements would remain in force until the Appellate Body is operational again.
This decision will allow the Commission to conclude provisional appeal arbitration arrangements with non-Member States on the basis of the rules in force at the World Trade Organization (WTO) (see EUROPE 12271/16, 12264/16, 12262/12).
Canadians and Europeans had already agreed on 25 July to continue this type of provisional arrangement (see EUROPE 12304/26).
“We have to be sure that we can preserve our rights in WTO disputes”, said Cecilia Malmström, EU Trade Commissioner, in a press release.
“We already have an agreement in place with Canada, and today's decision will allow us to move forward with other willing partners too”, she concluded.
The Commission also recalled its commitment to work on the reform and modernisation of the WTO. (Original version in French by Hermine Donceel)