Law and lawyers in the multilateral trading system

Each international organisation has its own individual personality which is the result of its aims, its history, the forces operating on it and the personalities involved. This chapter suggests how the law of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) was shaped by its history, why a pragmatic, diplomatic and flexible approach was adopted from the outset. It describes some of the steps taken towards the rule of law in the early years – and some of the GATT’s failures. It next examines the attitude initially taken to lawyers in the GATT Secretariat and early GATT dispute settlement. It concludes by testing whether the WTO now ensures the rule of law.