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Cross-agreement retaliation in the WTO dispute settlement system: an important enforcement mechanism for developing countries?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 June 2008

LUCAS EDUARDO F. A. SPADANO
LUCAS EDUARDO F. A. SPADANO*
Affiliation:
Lima Netto, Campos, Fialho, Canabrava Advogados, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
*
*Correspondence to: E-mail: [email protected].
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Abstract

This article aims at analysing the merits and limits of ‘cross-retaliation’ as a mechanism to induce compliance in WTO dispute settlement, specifically from the perspective of developing countries. The focus is on cross-agreement retaliation, in particular with respect to the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS), as this seems to be the most ‘promising’ area for developing countries. Although there are several legal, economic, and administrative difficulties related to the implementation of a suspension of TRIPS obligations and there is so far no practical experience, this seems to remain an interesting option for developing countries – or at least for the largest ones among them – wishing to obtain greater leverage in the system.

Type
Review Article
Information
World Trade Review , Volume 7 , Issue 3 , July 2008 , pp. 511 - 545
Copyright
Copyright © Lucas Eduardo F. A. Spadano 2008

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