Publication Type

Journal Article

Version

publishedVersion

Publication Date

1-2018

Abstract

Purpose One of the core objectives of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) is to maintain a practice of legality, including guaranteeing state and non-state actors interact based on the world trade norms. In seeking to achieve this objective, the WTO aims to uphold the trade rule of law by emphasising compliance with specified rules and procedures during the accession process, dispute settlement and trade policy review. This study aims to review these compliance procedures by invoking the interactional international law concept of a community of legal practice. Second, it briefly illuminates Chad Bown's proposal to establish an institute for assessing WTO commitments to improve member states' remit to detect, challenge and deter noncompliance.Design/methodology/approach This paper is based on Jutta Brunnee and Stephen Toope's Interactional Theory of International Law.Findings There is a strong link between transparency and enforcement in WTO law. The efficacy of the WTO law depends not only on its role in adjudication, but also on facilitating interactional legal practices, within and outside the WTO.Originality/value This paper offers an original analysis of the practices of compliance with WTO obligations and illuminates a new proposal for improving compliance. To attract and maintain compliance, the WTO needs to facilitate transparent interactional legal practices for states and non-state actors.

Keywords

Transparency, Interactional international law, WTO accession, WTO dispute settlement, WTO trade policy review

Discipline

International Trade Law

Publication

Journal of International Trade Law and Policy

Volume

17

Issue

3

First Page

132

Last Page

155

ISSN

1477-0024

Identifier

10.1108/JITLP-02-2018-0013

Publisher

Emerald

Copyright Owner and License

Author

Additional URL

https://doi.org/10.1108/JITLP-02-2018-0013

Download

Share

COinS