No solution to WTO appeals court crisis foreseen, documents show

A draft proposal on reforming the World Trade Organization leaves open the question of resolving the organisation's broken appeals bench and asks trade ministers to decide later this month, according to documents seen by Reuters on Wednesday.

A seventh and final version of a reform proposal marked 'Confidential' gave no details of an appeal mechanism to replace the Appellate Body which was shuttered in 2019 following repeated U.S. moves to block judge appointments. Trade ministers meet in Abu Dhabi between Feb. 26-29 to discuss the proposal and other topics.