Speaker: Associate Professor Alberto do Amaral Junior, University of São Paulo Law School

Developing countries have been active participants in the World Trade Organzation (WTO) Dispute Settlement Body, engaging in 540 consultations over the past twenty years as either complainants, respondents or interested parties. Brazil is widely recognised as one of the most successful actors in the WTO dispute settlement system, both in terms of the number of cases brought and the implications of these cases.

In this presentation, Professor Alberto do Amaral Junior will analyse the WTO Dispute Settlement Mechanism from a Brazilian perspective. The talk will cover a number of themes, including the current crisis of the system, in which the US Government is blocking the reappointment of an Appellate Body judge, the emergence of China, and changes to the geo-strategic correlation of forces that may hinder a satisfactory response to these and other challenges.

Professor Alberto do Amaral Junior will be introduced by Vera Dantas, of Noronha Advogados and the Council of the Brazilian Chamber of Commerce of Great Britain.