WTO Dispute Settlement Mechanism(2)/刘成伟(3)
According to Art. XXIII:1 of the GATT, a Member may have recourse to dispute settlement under the WTO when it considers that:
“... any benefit accruing to it directly or indirectly under this Agreement is being nullified or impaired or that the attainment of any objective of the Agreement is being impeded as the result of
(a)the failure of another contracting party [Member of the WTO] to carry out its obligations under this Agreement, or
(b)the application by another contracting party [Member of the WTO] of any measure, whether or not it conflicts with the provisions of this Agreement, or
(c)the existence of any other situation.”
As it implies, unlike that in many other dispute settlement procedures generally designed to resolve differences on the interpretation or application of the provisions under most international treaties, international responsibility in WTO law is not assessed only in terms of compliance with the specific provisions of the relevant agreements. Rather, it is the idea of nullification or impairment that determines whether rights to complain arise under the covered agreement.