Although the WTO has one of the most active international dispute settlement mechanisms in the world (since 1995, 606 disputes have been brought before the WTO and more than 350 rulings have been published), the current deadlock in this system, a key element for the survival of the organization, is due not only to political interests, but also to the detection of difficulties or technical problems.

To address these problems, various proposals have been put forward, one of them promoted by the EU and several States (WT/GC/W/752), to reform the WTO appeals system, in addition to the establishment of rules on notification and transparency.  It is therefore appropriate to analyze the problems detected in the system as well as the reform proposals already underway in order to actively contribute to this debate.