A second agreement on an interim appeal procedure has been reached, this time with Norway, the European Commission announced on Monday 21 October. It will allow the parties to have a 'plan B' in the event of paralysis of the Appellate Body of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
The EU and Norway have informed the WTO of this provisional agreement, which will be obsolete as soon as Washington lifts its block on the appointment of new judges to the Appellate Body (see EUROPE 12271/16, 12264/16, 12262/12).
The parties to the Agreement stressed that the reform of this key body in the WTO dispute settlement system - and therefore of the multilateral organisation itself - remained their priority. Consultations among members will continue with a view to seeing this reform succeed.
Today's agreement with Norway is the second to be signed by the EU, after one with Canada, signed on 25 July (see EUROPE 12321/15).
In a statement, Norway also expressed its willingness to sign "similar" agreements with other members.
For the text of the agreement: https://bit.ly/2N0yml6 (Original version in French by Hermine Donceel)