The ACWL is happy to announce the release of its Report on Operations for 2024. The Report summarizes the ACWL’s operations during the year, including its activities at the WTO’s 13th Ministerial Conference in Abu Dhabi in February-March.
In 2024, the ACWL provided 228 legal opinions on issues of WTO law to its developing country* Members and the LDCs (compared to 180 in 2023) and has now provided over 3,900 legal opinions since its inception. This year, 40 countries (including 13 LDCs), or almost a quarter of the Membership of the WTO, sought the ACWL’s advice.
These legal opinions help developing and least-developed countries to participate fully in the WTO legal system by increasing their understanding of WTO law and enabling them to defend their interests in the WTO. The ACWL’s legal advice also serves an important dispute prevention function by helping these countries to ensure the WTO-consistency of their trade-related measures.
In 2024, the ACWL’s team assisted developing countries in six ongoing disputes. In addition, the ACWL was requested to provide support in one new dispute. The ACWL has now provided assistance in 73 disputes, or in about 20 per cent of all WTO disputes since the ACWL’s inception.
The ACWL also continued its training activities. In addition to our regular training activities for Geneva-based delegates, we responded to 20 country-specific requests for training programmes on various aspects of WTO law. These were provided either in person or virtually. We also increased our training activities with the Francophone group of WTO Members. Our Secondment Programme for Trade Lawyers has now provided training to 66 lawyers from 21 different developing countries and 15 LDCs.
The Report also pays tribute to Dr. Frieder Roessler, first Executive Director of the ACWL, who passed away during the year.
Printed copies of the Report will soon be available and will be sent to ACWL Members and to the LDCs entitled to the ACWL’s services. We will also provide printed copies of the Report to other interested institutions or persons. To request a printed copy, please send an e-mail stating your name and mailing address to secretariat@acwl.ch.
If you have any questions regarding this Report or the operations of the ACWL, please do not hesitate to contact the Executive Director or any other ACWL staff member. Enquiries may also be addressed to secretariat@acwl.ch.
Report On Operations 2024 (pdf)
*Includes Separate Customs Territories
15 April 2024