Contribution of the WTO Appellate Body to treaty interpretation

Treaty interpretation is a practical and fascinating aspect of most dispute settlement proceedings involving an international treaty. The importance of treaty interpretation is highlighted by the ever-increasing number of international treaties and agreements – such as the more than 2,800 bilateral treaties for the protection of investments (BITs), more than 400 free trade agreements (FTAs) and the approximately sixty agreements, understandings and decisions composing the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization (WTO Agreement). The Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties (Vienna Convention)1 comprises a single set of rules applying to treaty interpretation. These rules of interpretation of public international law, many of which have become customary, are accepted worldwide as the tool for interpreting international treaties.