CHAPTER 1 GENERAL INTRODUCTION TO THE WTO AND WTO LAW

第一章　WTO与WTO法概述

1.The History of GATT 1947 and Its Rounds of Trade Negotiation

1.GATT 1947的发展历史及其贸易谈判回合

2.From GATT to WTO：the Uruguay Round

2.乌拉圭回合谈判：从GATT发展到WTO

3.The Establishment of the WTO and Its Legal Texts

3.WTO的建立及其法律文件

4.The Objectives and Functions of WTO

4.WTO的目标与职能

5.The Organizational Structure and Decisionmaking of WTO

5.WTO的组织机构与决策机制

6.Fundamental Principles of WTO

6.WTO的基本原则

7.WTO and China

7.WTO与中国

CHAPTER 2 THE MULTILATERAL AGREEMENTS ON TRADE IN GOODS

第二章　多边货物贸易协定

1.GATT 1994the Common Regulatory Framework for Trade in Goods

1.GATT 1994——国际货物贸易的一般管理规则

2.Agreement on Agriculture（AoA）

2.农业协定

3.Agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures（SPS）

3.实施卫生与植物卫生措施协定（SPS）

4.Agreement on Textiles and Clothing（ATC）

4.纺织品与服装协定（ATC）

5.Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade（TBT）

5.技术性贸易壁垒协定（TBT）

6.Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Investment Measures（TRIMs）

6.与贸易有关的投资措施协定（TRIMs）

7.Agreement on Implementation of Article Ⅶ

（Customs Valuation Agreement，or CVA）

7.关于实施1994年关税与贸易总协定第7条的协定（CVA）

8.Agreement on Preshipment Inspection（PSI）

8.装运前检验协定（PSI）

9.Agreement on Rules of Origin（ROA）

9.原产地规则协定（ROA）

10.Agreement on Import Licensing Procedures（ILA）

10.进口许可程序协定（ILA）

CHAPTER 3 TRADE REMEDY MEASURES IN WTO LAW

第三章　WTO的贸易救济措施

1.Introduction to International Trade Remedy Measures

1.国际贸易救济措施概述

2.Agreement on Implementation of Article Ⅵ of GATT 1994

（Antidumping Agreement，or ADA）

2.关于实施GATT 1994第六条的协定（反倾销协定，ADA）

3.Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures

（SCM Agreement）

3.补贴与反补贴措施协定（SCM协定）

4.Agreement on Safeguards（SA）

4.保障措施协定（SA）

CHAPTER 4 THE MULTILATERAL AGREEMENTS ON TRADE IN SERVICE

第四章多边服务贸易协定

1.A General Introduction to GATS

1.服务贸易总协定（GATS）概述

2.The Coverage of GATS and Modes of Supply

2.GATS的范围与提供服务的模式

3.Unconditional General Obligations

3.无条件的一般义务

4.Conditional General Obligations

4.有条件的一般义务

5.The Provisions Requiring Future Negotiations in the GATS

5.GATS中有关后一步谈判的条款

CHAPTER 5 AGREEMENT ON TRADERELATED ASPECTS OF

 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS

第五章　与贸易有关的知识产权协定

1.The Interaction between International Trade and Intellectual Property

1.国际贸易与知识产权的关联性

2.Certain General Features of the Agreement

2.《协定》的几个一般特征

3.General Objectives and Principles of the Agreement

3.《协定》的总体目标与一般原则

4.Substantive Rules of Protection

4.保护的实体规则

5.Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights

5.知识产权执法

6.Miscellaneous Provisions

6.杂项规定

CHAPTER 6 THE WTO DISPUTE SETTLEMENT MECHANISM

第六章　WTO争端解决机制

1.General Introduction to WTO Dispute Settlement Mechanism

1.WTO争端解决机制概述

2.Participants and Main Stages in the Procedures

2.程序的参加方和主要阶段

3.Consultation Procedures

3.磋商程序

4.Panel Procedures

4.专家组程序

5.Appellate Body Review Procedures

5.上诉机构复审程序

6.Implementation of DSB Recommendations and Rulings

6.DSB建议与裁定的执行

CHAPTER 7 OVERSEEING NATIONAL TRADE POLICIES：THE TPRM

第七章　WTO的贸易政策政策评审机制（TPRM）

1.Introduction to the TPRM

1.贸易政策评审机制概述

2.Review Procedures

2.评审程序

3.Reform of the Trade Policy Review Mechanism

3.贸易政策评审机制的改革

CHAPTER 8 CASE STUDY：CHINAMEASURES AFFECTING IMPORTS OF

 AUTOMOBILE PARTS

第八章　案例分析：中国——影响汽车零件进口措施案

1.The Components of the Panel Report

1.专家组报告的构成

2.Factual Aspects

2.事实部分

3.The Panel Finds

3.专家组确定的事实

4.Conclusions and Recommendations of Panel Report

4.专家组报告的结论与建议

5.Appellate Body Reports

5.上诉机构报告

6.China Informs DSB of Its Intention Concerning Implementation

6.就实施问题中国向DSB通报其意愿

Appendix Ⅰ WTO Dispute in Which China is Respondent or Complainant

Appendix Ⅱ Sample Schedule of Commitments：China

主要参考文献

第一章　WTO与WTO法概述

1.The History of GATT 1947 and Its Rounds of Trade Negotiation

1.GATT 1947的发展历史及其贸易谈判回合

WTO的前身是于1948年1月1日依《临时适用议定书》生效的《关贸总协定》（GATT 1947），其创始成员有23个。由于1948年联合国贸易与就业大会所通过的《哈瓦拉宪章》未能生效，GATT 1947一直作为唯一的管理全球贸易的协定，适用到1995年1月1日WTO协定生效之日。GATT通过多轮多边贸易谈判，不断推进国际贸易的发展和贸易规则的完善，其中乌拉圭回合谈判涉及面最广，谈判时间也最长，取得的成果也最为丰富，包括正式成立世界贸易组织（WTO）。GATT协定经过修正与补充，仍为WTO体制下的一个基本协定，称为GATT 1994。

Key Concepts关键概念

The Bretton Woods Conference布雷顿森林会议

ITO Charter国际贸易组织宪章

GATT 1947/GATT 1994关贸总协定1947/关贸总协定1994

Trade Negotiation Round贸易谈判回合

consensus协商一致

1.1 The Conclusion and Development of GATT

1.1 GATT的缔结与发展

During World War Ⅱ，Participants in The Bretton Woods Conference布雷顿森林会议，指在1944年7月美国新罕布什尔州（Bretton Woods，New Hampshire）召开的联合国国际货币与金融会议。在这次会议上，通过了设立国际货币与开发银行（世界银行，IBRD）与国际货币基金（IMF）的协议，这些协议于1946年生效，由此建立布雷顿森林国际货币金融体制。in 1944 recognized a postWar need to reduce trade barriers in order to foster freer trade.The goals for such institutions were as much political as economicthe prevention of war and the establishment of a just system of economic relations.The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development（IBRD，or World Banks）and the International Monetary Fund（IMF）were the resulting institutions of the meeting.However，it was recognized at that time that an international organization to regulate trade was a necessary complement to the IMF and the IBRD.After the second world war，over 50 countries，including the original 23 GATT countries，were working on a draft charter for an international trade organization（ITO Charter）which would have been a specialized agency of the United Nations联合国专门机构。.The charter was intended to provide not only world trade disciplines but also rules relating to employment，commodity agreements，restrictive business practices，international investment and services.该《宪章》不仅要为世界贸易提供一套纪律，还意在为就业、商品协议、限制性商业行为、国际投资与服务提出一些规则。Although the ITO Charter was finally adopted at a UN conference on Trade and Employment in Havana in March 1948，ratification in national legislatures proved impossible in some cases.In 1950，with the United states government announced that it would not seek Congressional ratification of the Havana Charter，which means ITO was dead before being effective.

Alongside the ITO Charter negotiation，tariff negotiations were opened among the 23 founding“contracting parties”创始缔约方。in 1946.This first round of negotiations第一回合谈判，这是GATT/WTO为不断推进多边贸易体制所创立的一种谈判方式，即多边的、全面的与分阶段的谈判方式。resulted in 45，000 tariff concession关税减让，即各国所做出的削减关税的承诺。affecting $10 billion，about onefifth of world trade.The value of these concessions was protected by early acceptance of some of the trade rules in the draft ITO Charter《国际贸易组织宪章》，即1948年在古巴哈瓦那联合国贸易与就业大会上通过的，后来未能生效的关于建立国际贸易组织的宪章，也叫《哈瓦那宪章》。.Togethertariff concessions and rules taken from ITO Charterthey became known as the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade（GATT）and entered into force in January 1948 by a“Protocol of Provisional Application”after eight named governments，among which the US government had used the presidents power to make executive agreement，signed the Protocol before November 15，1947.议定书中提到的对其生效有决定作用的八个国家是：Australia，Belgium，Canada，France，Luxembourg，Netherland，the United Kindom，and the United States.With a number of amendments to it occurred，the GATT has become the only multilateral instrument governing international trade ever since，till the establishment of WTO in 1995.

1.2 The Provisions and Institutions of GATT 1947

1.2 GATT 1947的内容与机构设置

In fact，GATT 1947 has three parts.First and foremost is the General Agreement itself and its 38 articles.Secondly，some associated agreements covering antidumping反倾销。and subsidy rules and other nontariff or sectoral issue非关税问题与贸易部门问题。added at later stages，particularly at the end of the Tokyo Round（1973-1979）.Although membership of these agreements is much more limited than for the General Agreement《总协议》，即《关税与贸易总协议》。（GATT）ranging from less than twenty to about fortythe members nevertheless account for the vast majority of world trade in the relevant areas.Finally，the GATT system is completed by the MultiFibre Arrangement（MFA）《多种纤维协定》，是在原GATT下议定的，规定在纺织品与服装领域可以背离其一些基本原则。which is a negotiated exception to the normal disciplines of the General Agreement affecting the textiles and clothing sector.

Most countries have a diplomatic mission in Geneva，sometimes headed by a special ambassador to GATT，whose officials attend meetings of the many negotiating and administrative bodies at GATT headquarters.Sometimes expert representatives are sent directly from capitals to put forward their governments views on specific questions.The most senior body of GATT is the Session of Contracting Parties缔约方全体大会。，usually held annually.Ministeriallevel meetings are rare in GATT years，they have been limited to major developments in the Uruguay Round.

Between Sessions，the Council of Representatives代表理事会。is authorized to act on both routine and urgent matters.The Council meets about nine times a year.Its agenda usually contains a variety of items like bilateral trade disputes，new accessions，waivers，and reports of working parties.Major GATT standing committees常设委员会。exist to administer each of the Tokyo Round agreements；to pursue matters of special interest to developing countries；to look at the situation of countries using trade restrictions to protect their balanceofpayments（BOP）支付平衡，反映一国总体进出口额是否平衡及一国的对外支付能力情况。；to administer the MultiFibre Arrangement；to handle tariff questions and to look after the GATT budget.

If some special issues appear（such as requests for GATT accession；to verify that agreements concluded by members are in conformity with GATT obligations；or to study issues on which contracting parties may wish later to take a joint decision），working parties may be set up when necessary.In addition，panels can be established by the council and other bodies to provide judgments on trade disputes.

Reaching decisions by consensus协商一致，即不采取投票方式而是以协商一致同意方式决策。，not by vote，is an obvious feature of GATT decisionmaking mechanism.On the rare occasions that voting takes place，each contracting party has one vote and a simple majority is required.In the case of waivers豁免，即在一定条件下经授权可以不履行GATT下的义务。authorization，in particular cases，to depart from specific obligations in the General Agreementa twothirds majority三分之二多数。is required，comprising more than half the contracting parties.

1.3 Multilateral Trade Negotiation（rounds）Under the Auspices of GATT

1.3 GATT管理下的多边贸易谈判（回合）

The biggest leaps forward in international trade liberalization have come through a series of multilateral trade negotiations，or trade rounds，sponsored by GATT.They have held eight such Rounds in all.The eighth round，the Uruguay Round，was launched in Punta del Este，Uruguay，in September 1986.国际贸易自由化取得最大突破的方式，是通过在GATT主持下的一系列多边贸易谈判，称“回合”，GATT一共举办了八个谈判回合。第八回合，也称“乌拉圭回合”，于1986年9月在乌拉圭的埃斯特角发动。

They are often lengthythe Uruguay Round took seven and a half yearsbut trade rounds can have an advantage.They offer a package approach to trade negotiations that can sometimes be more fruitful than negotiations on a single issue.The package approach一揽子解决方案。to negotiations has a number of advantages.First，participants can seek and secure advantages across a wide range of issues.Secondly，concessions which would otherwise be difficult to defend in domestic political terms，can be made more easily in the context of a round than if bilateral relationships between the major trading nations are allowed to dominate.Finally，overall reform in certain politicallysensitive sectors of world trade is more feasible in the context of a global package.

While reduction of tariffs were the main concerns in the early trade rounds，the later rounds began the process of revising，reinterpreting or extending the original articles of the General Agreement，together with tariff cut.For example，the Kennedy Round reached agreement on a new GATT Antidumping Agreement.The Tokyo Round went much furthera further revision of the GATT antidumping code was also secured.

GATT/WTO Trade Rounds

Date/place（name）contentsCountries

1947/ GenevaTariffs23

1949/ AnnecyTariffs13

1951/ TorquaTariffs38

1956/ GenevaTariffs26

1960-1961/ Geneva

（Dillon Round）Tariffs26

1964-1967/ Geneva

（Kennedy Round）Tariffs & antidumping62

1973-1979/ Geneva

（Tokyo Round）Tariffs，nontariffs and“framework”

agreements102

1986-1994/ Geneva

（Uruguay Round）Tariffs，nontariffs，service，IP，dispute settlement，creation of WTO，etc.123

2001-（Doha Agenda）Agriculture，Nonagricultural Market Access，Development，Services，Rules（antidumping，subsidy，reginal trade agreements），Trade & Environment，TRIPS，Dispute Settlement，Trade Facilitation，Electronic commerce，etc.142（increasing with the accessions of new members）

2.From GATT to WTO：the Uruguay Round

2.乌拉圭回合谈判：从GATT发展到WTO

GATT可以称为“准国际组织”。其有相对完整的组织机构，有比较完善的运作机制，但GATT本身并未赋予其国际法律人格。其决策的主要方式是协商一致，只有在特殊情况下，通过分配—成员—投票权的方式进行表决。GATT促进贸易开放与发展贸易规则的主要方式是一系列的多边贸易谈判，称为“回合”（round）。在GATT下共进行了八个回合，其中历时长达7年的第八回合谈判（乌拉圭回合）可以说具有里程碑意义。

Key Concepts关键概念

Uruguay Round乌拉圭回合谈判

Trade Negotiations Committee（TNC）贸易谈判委员会

trade in goods货物贸易

trade in services服务贸易

Package agreements一揽子协议

Well before GATTs 40th anniversary，its members concluded that the GATT system was straining to adapt to a new globalizing world economy.In response to the problems identified in the 1982 Ministerial Declaration（structural deficiencies，spillover impacts of certain countries policies on world trade GATT could not manage etc.），the eighth GATT roundknown as the Uruguay Roundwas launched in September 1986，in Punta del Este，Uruguay.

The Declaration agreed by Ministers in Punta del Este，while representing a single political undertaking，was divided into two sections.The first covered negotiation on trade in goods.Its objectives were to bring about further liberalization and expansion of world trade；to strengthen the role of GATT and improve the multilateral trading system；to increase the responsiveness of GATT to the evolving international economic environment；and to encourage cooperation in strengthening the interrelationship between trade and other economic policies affecting growth and development.The second section outlined the objectives of a new framework of rules for trade in services.

The number of governments participating in the round has grown slightly since its launchto 108as several developing countries have become GATT members or applied to do so in the period.

A completely separate negotiating structure handles the Uruguay Round.A negotiating structure to handle every aspect of the Round was established soon after the Punta del Este meeting.It is dominated by three bodies：the Trade Negotiations Committee（TNC）贸易谈判委员会，指为组织每一回合谈判而专门设立的机构。which oversees the entire Round；the Group of Committee on Goods（GNG）货物贸易谈判小组委员会。which looks after all subjects with the exception of services，and the Group of Negotiations on Services（GNS）.During the first years of the Round，the GNG had 14 negotiating groups within its responsibility；and later that has been streamlined to just six.

The various negotiating bodies have held over 400 formaland many more informalmeetings since the Round was launched，and they have had before them around 1，500 negotiating proposals and working papers.Although ministerial meetings of the TNC have taken place in Montreal and Brussels and many bilateral and plurilateral meetings take place constantly around the world，the formal officiallevel negotiations in the Uruguay Round take place solely at GATT headquarters in Geneva.

In the area of trade in goods，Ministers commit themselves to a“standstill”on new trade measures inconsistent with their GATT obligations and to a“rollback”programme aimed at phasing out existing inconsistent measures.在货物贸易领域，部长们承诺将与其在GATT下义务不符的新措施“冻结”，并开始一个将已有的与其义务不符的措施“退回”的计划。This commitment has been overseen by a Surveillance Body，reporting periodically to the TNC.

The original objectives of the Round have been refined and clarified since 1986partly as a result of the MidTerm Review and partly in the normal process of negotiation.

Tariffs：aimed at further liberalization with emphasis on especially high tariffs increasing the scope of tariff bindings and tariff“escalation”（where ascending levels of duty are charged linked to the level of processing of the products concerned）.The Midterm Review set a target for average reductions of around 30 per cent.

Tropical products：as in previous trade rounds，this is a priority sector in which the objective is“the fullest liberalization”of trade，covering both tariff and nontariff measures.An early package of concessionscovering around $20 bill of tradewas agreed and implemented as part of the MidTerm Review results.

Natural resourcebased products：liberalization efforts aimed，in particular，at trade in fish and fisheries products，forestry products and nonferrous metals minerals.

Textiles and clothing：negotiations should ensure the integration of this sector into the GATT with，among other things，the eventual elimination of the MultiFibre Arrangement and other restrictions on textiles and clothing which are not consistent with GATT.

Agriculture：the creation of most effective GATT rules，improved conditions of international competition through better market access and reduced subsidies，and reduction of the adverse trade effects of sanitary and phytosanitary regulations.

Safeguards保障（措施）。：the negotiations aim for a comprehensive agreement and are recognized as of particular importance to strengthening the GATT system.Consideration of the future of bilateral export restraints is also included.

Multilateral trade negotiation（MTN）多边贸易谈判。agreements and arrangements：improvement，clarification or expansion，as appropriate，of Tokyo Round agreements.

Subsidies and countervailing measures：补贴与反补贴措施。toughening up the disciplines contained in Articles Ⅵ and ⅩⅥ of the General Agreement and in the Tokyo Round subsidies agreement.

Dispute settlement：improvement to the system to ensure prompt and effective resolution of disputes and compliance with adopted recommendations.An initial set of reforms，including tighter deadlines，was agreed and implemented after the MidTerm Review.

Traderelated aspects of intellectual property rights，including trade in counterfeit goods：与贸易有关的知识产权，包括假冒商品贸易在内。the clarification of existing GATT rules which bear upon intellectual property rights and the elaboration of new rules and disciplines as appropriate，together with negotiations on a multilateral framework dealing with international trade in counterfeit goods.仿冒商品国际贸易。

Traderelated investment measures：与贸易有关的投资措施。concerns the traderestricting ordistorting effects of national investment measures and the possible elaboration of new provisions in GATT to avoid these adverse effects.

Functioning of the GATT system：possible institutional changes to the GATT，including enhanced surveillance of trade policies，improved decisionmaking mechanism and an increased contribution by GATT to achieving greater coherence on global economic policymaking.Following the MidTerm Reviews，a new system of national trade policy reviews was initiated in GATT.

Trade in Services服务贸易。：the second part of the declaration covers the negotiation on trade in services.It envisages the establishment of a multilateral framework of principles and rules for trade in services，including the elaboration of annexes for individual service sectors where it proves necessary.In addition，work has also been undertaken on a package of initial liberalization commitments by prospective members of the new Agreement.

The MidTerm Review meeting of TNC was held in December 1988，and the Ministers had reached agreements on the future conduct of the Round on 11 out of the 15 negotiating areas.At the same time，Ministers were able to agree a package of concessions on tropical products；a series of measures to streamline the disputes settlement system and a new trade policy review mechanism under which the trade policies of individual GATT contracting countries are subject to regular assessment.与此同时，部长们已在一些领域达成了一系列妥协，这些领域包括热带产品减让、精简争端解决体制的一系列措施，以及一种新的贸易评审机制，在这种机制下每一GATT的缔约方的贸易政策都要接受定期的评价。Each of these was implemented provisionally in 1989.In April 1989，a Trade Negotiations Committee meeting in Geneva succeeded in securing midterm agreements on the remaining four negotiating areas：agriculture，safeguards，textiles and clothing，and intellectual property.

Significant progress was made in most negotiating areas.It was intended that the Round would be concluded at a Ministerial meeting of the Trade Negotiations Committee，in December 1990，in Brussels.However，among other problems，it was found impossible to reach an understanding on possible commitments to reduce government financial support and market access restrictions in agriculture.This failure led to a decision by the Ministers to prolong the Uruguay Round.In December 1991 a draft of a final agreement was tabled in Geneva.For the following two years，the negotiations lurched continuously from impending failure to predictions of imminent success.Several deadlines came and went；farm trade was joined by services，market access，antidumping rules and the proposed creation of a new institution，as the major points of conflict；and differences between the United States and European Communities became central to hopes for a final，successful conclusion.It took until 15 December 1993 for every issue to be finally resolved and for negotiations on market access for goods and services to be concluded.On 15 April 1994，the deal was signed by ministers from most of the 125 participating government at a meeting in Marrakesh Morocco.

3.The Establishment of the WTO and Its Legal Texts

3.WTO的建立及其法律文件

乌拉圭回合谈判的重要意义在于，此“回合”通过的《最后文件》（the Final Act）大大发展了GATT下的法制，其中的《马拉喀什建立世界贸易组织协定》（简称《WTO协定》）是其基本文件，它不仅赋予WTO正式国际组织的法律人格，还对WTO的范围、职能、机构、地位、决策、加入与退出等事项进行明确规范，使WTO体制趋于成熟。该协定有四个附件，分别涉及多边贸易规则、争端解决机制、贸易政策评审机制、若干诸边贸易协定，它们构成WTO法律体系的基础。该《最后文件》还包括一系列有关具体事项所做出的宣言或决定，这些文件大多是对GATT下谈判结果的具体问题的明确化或进一步谈判的要求与安排。

Key Concepts关键概念

Final Act最后文件

The WTO Agreement建立世贸组织协定

GATS服务贸易总协定

TRIPS与贸易有关的知识产权协定

DSU争端解决程序与规则的谅解

TPRM贸易政策评审机制

3.1 The Establishment of the WTO

3.1 WTO的建立

One of the final results of the Uruguay Round乌拉圭回合谈判，即前面提到的于1986年开始，至1994年结束的GATT第八轮谈判，通过了包括《建立世界贸易组织协议》在内的《最后文件》。may be a decision to regularize the institutional arrangement of a world trade bodyWTO，which enter into effect in January1，1995乌拉圭回合的最后结果之一，是做出了一个将世界贸易体（WTO）的机构安排常态化的决定，该机构于1995年1月正式启动。.76 governments became members of the WTO on its first day，with some 50 other governments at various stages of completing their domestic ratification procedures，and the remainder engaged in negotiating their terms of entry.The WTO is the embodiment of the Uruguay Round results and the successor to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade（GATT）.

The World Trade Organization（WTO）is the legal and institutional foundation of the multilateral trading system.It provides the principal contractual obligations determining how government frame and implement domestic trade legislation and regulations.And it is the platform on which trade relations among countries evolved through collective debate，negotiation and adjudication.世界贸易组织（WTO）是多边贸易制度的法制与机构基础。它为政府如何进行构建与实施国内贸易法律法规规定了契约性义务。同时，它也是成员国间通过集体讨论、谈判以及裁决来发展贸易关系的平台。

The World Trade Organization is not a simple extension of GATT in terms of larger membership and development of trade rules.On the contrary，it completely replaces its predecessor and has a very different character.Among the principal differences are the following：

It has a much broader scope in terms of the commercial activity and trade policies to which it applied only to trade in merchandise goods；the WTO covers in goods，services and“trade in ideas”or intellectual property.

The GATT was a multilateral agreement with no institutional foundation，only a small associated secretariat which on its origins in the attempt to establish an International Trade Organization in the 1940s.The WTO is a permanent institution with its own secretariat.

The GATT was an agreement applied on a“provisional basis”even if it has lasted more than forty years.The WTO has a full international legal status and is operated on a permanent basis.

The GATT was a mixture of multilateral and plurilateral instruments.The agreements which constitute the WTO are almost all multilateral and，thus，involve commitments for the entire membership.

The WTO dispute settlement system is faster，more automatic，and thus much less susceptible to blockages than the old GATT system.The implementation of WTO dispute findings will also be more easily assured.