Will the increased workload of WTO panels and the Appellate Body change how WTO disputes are adjudicated?

As is well known, there has been a surge in WTO dispute settlement activity in recent years. A total of forty-seven requests for consultations – the first step in the dispute settlement process – were received in 2012 and 2013, and twenty-three panels were established during that same period. A further fourteen panels were established in 2014. The large number of disputes brought to the WTO, together with the increased size and complexity of the average dispute, is imposing significant pressure on panels and the Appellate Body.