Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Becroft: The Standard of Review in WTO Dispute Settlement: Critique and Development

Ross Becroft (Gross & Becroft Lawyers) has published The Standard of Review in WTO Dispute Settlement: Critique and Development (Edward Elgar Publishing 2012). Here's the abstract:
This detailed book critiques how the World Trade Organization scrutinizes domestic measures to determine compliance with the WTO Agreements. This scrutiny, known as the standard of review, is particularly relevant when WTO panels are examining measures involving controversial domestic policy issues. The author argues that the current WTO standard of review is inadequate and a flexible standard based on the responsibilities that WTO members have retained for themselves under the WTO Agreements is preferable. This new standard of review would better reflect the autonomy contemplated for members under the WTO rules and reduce scope for the contention that the WTO overreaching its mandate.