​In a bid to promote capacity building among legal professionals, economists, and official experts in international cooperation and agreements and to develop their skills in the fields of international negotiations, trade and dispute settlementMinistry of Economy and Commerce, in cooperation with WTO, organizes workshop on Dispute Settlement Mechanism
 
The Ministry of Economy and Commerce, in cooperation with the World Trade Organization (WTO), has wrapped up a workshop on the Dispute Settlement Mechanism. The workshop took place at the ministry’s headquarters in Lusail City on 16-19 July 2018.
This workshop came in line with the ministry’s efforts to promote capacity building among legal professionals, economists, and official experts in international cooperation and agreements, enabling them to develop their skills in the fields of international negotiations, trade and dispute settlement within the framework of the WTO.
The workshop equipped participants with the technical skills and qualifications to understand all aspects of the trade dispute settlement mechanism within the WTO so that they could contribute to providing specialized services to various private and public sector entities.
The four-day workshop brought together a number of employees from several government agencies and institutions, as well as lawyers and representatives of law firms.
Mr. Muslim Yilmaz, WTO Legal Counsel, introduced participants to the concept of the dispute settlement mechanism, key concepts, the parties involved in the process, the challenges of implementing WTO dispute settlement procedures, the types of complaints concerning various violations. Discussions also touched on the core procedures of the WTO’s dispute settlement mechanism and horizontal disagreements relating to the settlement of disputes.
During the workshop, participants were also trained on court procedures and preparation to file and examine complaints. Attendees also participated in a simulated dispute settlement within the framework of the WTO Dispute Settlement Body.
The workshop concluded with deliberations on several topics and inquiries from participants who were briefed by speakers on several issues relating to the subject of the workshop.
Dispute settlement is a central pillar of the multilateral trading system and represent WTO’s valuable contribution to the stability of the global economy. Without a means of settling disputes, the rules-based system would be less effective because the rules could not be enforced in case of damages and challenges. The WTO’s dispute settlement procedure underscores the rule of law, and it makes the trading system more secure and predictable. The system is based on clearly-defined rules, with timetables for completing a case in line with just procedures that apply to all member states.