WTO and anti-dumping disputes settlement: general characteristics

The WTO is the main international organization in the scope of international trade. On the date of conclusion of the Agreement Establishing the WTO there were 115 members but their number is constantly growing. Russia has become a member of the WTO August 22, 2012. The WTO is the formal institutional foundation which is formed by several levels. The Committee on Anti-Dumping Practices deals with anti-dumping issues. Members fulfill the obligations under the WTO auspices. Among them the Agreement on implementation of article VI of GATT 1994 (commonly known as the Anti-dumping Code of 1994). An anti-dumping measure shall be applied only under the circumstances provided for in article VI of GATT 1994. Provisions of this agreement govern the application of article VI of GATT 1994 in so far as action is taken under anti-dumping legislation or regulations. Imposition of antidumping measures is potential sources of conflict. In this case the Understanding on Rules and Procedures Governing the Settlement of Disputes shall be applied. On the basis of this understanding WTO members may challenge the imposition of anti-dumping measures including preliminary and raise issues of compliance with the Anti-dumping Code of 1994. The key decisions in the WTO dispute settlement mechanism are adopted on the basis of negative consensus rule. Today, panels and the Appellate Body of the WTO formed a number of legal positions, which are taken into account while settling the anti-dumping disputes. They must be considered in the case of appealing to the WTO dispute settlement mechanism. There is no exhaustion of local remedies rule in the WTO dispute settlement mechanism. Panels apply special standards of review considering the anti-dumping cases. Question about remedies which shall apply if the anti-dumping measures recognized to be a violation is not yet certain. In the given article the general characteristics of normative frameworks, institutional systems and the dispute settlement mechanism of the WTO and some panels’ anti-dumping precedents is presented.