Dispute Settlement without Recourse to Panels and the Appellate Body

The previous chapters have devoted much attention to the involvement of panels and the Appellate Body in the WTO dispute settlement system. However, it is important to stress that panels and the Appellate Body are not always involved in a WTO dispute and there are various other ways to solve disputes within the framework of the WTO. Indeed, the parties often use these other ways and manage to solve their dispute in a cooperative manner and not through recourse to adjudication by panels and the Appellate Body. In this regard, parties can settle a dispute by finding a mutually agreed solution in bilateral negotiations or with the help of dispute resolution mechanisms such as good offices, conciliation or mediation. In addition, they can also agree to refer their dispute to an arbitrator.