WTO enters judicial drought as U.S. blocks another judge

By Tom Miles

GENEVA (Reuters) – The supreme court of world trade will be running on fumes from the end of this month after the United States turned down a last-ditch petition to reappoint one of the four remaining judges at the World Trade Organization.

U.S. President Donald Trump has railed against the WTO judges, who have the final say on trade disputes. His ambassador in Geneva has accused them of overstepping their authority, breaking their own rules and interfering in U.S. laws.

Three judges are needed for each case and their rulings are the top level of arbitration that all 164 WTO members are bound to obey. The WTO normally has seven judges but after a U.S. campaign to block appointments and reappointments only four remained.

Wednesday’s meeting of the WTO’s dispute settlement body was the last chance to give a reprieve to Shree Baboo Chekitan Servansing, a trade judge from Mauritius, before his term expires on Sept. 30.

The United States told last month’s meeting it would block Servansing but some officials hoped that offers to amend the judges’ procedures and other reforms might be enough to persuade Trump’s trade negotiators.

Almost 70 countries have repeatedly petitioned the United States to let the appointments go ahead. But a U.S. official again turned down their plea at Wednesday’s meeting at the WTO headquarters in Geneva.

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