WTO Dispute Settlement from the Perspective of Developing Countries

The law, in its majestic equality, forbids rich and poor alike to sleep under bridges, beg in the streets or steal bread. Anatole France (1844–1924), The Red Lily , chap. 7 (1894) Introduction The balance between developed and developing countries in the international trade regime has been a matter of great concern since the inception of the World Trade Organization (WTO). As the WTO’s foundational document, the Marrakech Agreement, states, “there is need for positive efforts designed to ensure that developing countries, and especially the least developed among them, secure a share in the growth in international trade commensurate with the needs of their economic development.” Mediating between the interests of developed and developing countries in the WTO has been a constant struggle, as highlighted most recently by the continued stalling of the Doha Round over issues such as agriculture and services.