Statement from Minister Ng on final arbitrator candidates of WTO Multi-party Interim Arrangement

August 3, 2020 - Ottawa, Ontario - Global Affairs Canada

The Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade, today issued the following statement:

“Canada is committed to working with its World Trade Organization [WTO] member partners to ensure an open, stable, and predictable rules-based trading system as we work to help our people and businesses recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.  

“Given the Appellate Body impasse, Canada and 22 other WTO members have put in place a Multi-party Interim Arrangement [MPIA] to allow for appeals of panel reports in trade disputes to be heard by arbitrators. This provides continuity for our businesses by preserving Canada’s right to a 2-stage dispute settlement at the WTO among the 23 MPIA member countries.

“Canada welcomes the conclusion of the process to select arbitrators for the MPIA—the final step needed to implement the arrangement—and thanks all members for their collaboration. An exceptional group of arbitrators has been confirmed, and the MPIA is now fully operational.

 “Canada appreciates all candidates who generously put forward their names for consideration and congratulates the following candidates on their appointments: Valerie Hughes [Canada], Thomas Cottier [Switzerland], Mateo Diego Fernández Andrade [Mexico], José Alfredo Graça Lima [Brazil], Yang Guohua [China], Alejandro Jara [Chile], Locknie Hsu [Singapore], Joost Pauwelyn [European Union], Claudia Orozco [Colombia], and Penelope Jane Ridings [New Zealand].

“Canada continues to work with all WTO members to find a permanent multilateral solution to the Appellate Body impasse, as well as with interested WTO members who wish to join the MPIA.”

Associated products

• MPIA arbitrator notification
• Interim appeal arrangement for WTO disputes becomes effective
• Statement on Multi-party Interim Arrangement for appealing trade disputes through WTO
• Ministerial statement on Multi-party Interim Arrangement
• Multi-party Interim Arrangement