News from the ACWL
ACWL presents a seminar on the principles of treaty interpretation in WTO dispute settlement
On an ad hoc basis, the ACWL organises seminars on legal issues of topical interest to WTO Members. The ACWL invites delegates from both developed and developing countries to participate in these seminars in their personal capacity in order to encourage the sharing of their diverse experiences in dispute settlement proceedings.
On 15 November 2005, the ACWL hosted one such seminar, focusing on the Appellate Body's use of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties to determine the meaning of provisions in the WTO Agreement. The discussion centred on the Appellate Body's Report in the European Communities – Customs Classification of Frozen Boneless Chicken Cuts dispute, in which the ACWL represented Thailand as a complainant. The ACWL lawyers who were involved in the case led a discussion on various issues of interpretation that arose in the case related to "ordinary meaning", context", "subsequent practice" and "supplementary means of interpretation" within the meaning of Articles 31 and 32 of the Vienna Convention.
Over 30 delegates from developing countries, customs territories and least-developed countries attended the seminar. Delegates from the parties to the dispute such as the European Communities (the respondent), Thailand and Brazil (the co-complainants) and China and the United States (third parties) attended as well. The seminar was attended by more than 40 delegates in total, including those from developed country ACWL members such as Canada.
This seminar was presented in addition to the ACWL's regular weekly training programme on WTO dispute settlement procedures which takes place on Thursday afternoons at the premises of the Centre.