There have been two recent additions to the MPIA: One new party and one new arbitrator nomination.
The new party is Benin, which notified its decision to join on June 22.
The new arbitrator nomination is the great Thomas Cottier. The World Trade Institute had this announcement:
Switzerland has nominated Professor Emeritus Thomas Cottier as its candidate for the pool of 10 arbitrators for the Multi-Party Interim Appeal Arbitration Arrangement (MPIA), a temporary solution for the paralysis of the WTO Appellate Body. Prof. Cottier is the former Managing Director of the World Trade Institute and Professor Emeritus of European and International Economic Law at the University of Bern.
The MPIA, comprised by 22 WTO members, permits participating members to have access to a 2-step dispute settlement system in the WTO, including the availability of an independent and impartial appeal stage. It is in effect since 30 April 2020 and will stay in place until the Appellate Body can reassume its function.
The WTI is delighted that Prof. Cottier has been chosen as candidate for Switzerland. He previously held several positions in the Swiss External Economic Affairs Department and was the Deputy Director General of the Swiss Intellectual Property Office. He also has a long-standing involvement in GATT/WTO activities. Prof. Cottier served on the Swiss negotiating team of the Uruguay Round from 1986 to 1993, first as Chief Negotiator on dispute settlement and subsidies for Switzerland and subsequently as Chief Negotiator on TRIPs. In addition, he has served as a member or chair of several GATT and WTO dispute settlement panels and currently assists on a high-level panel reviewing the International Health Regulations of the World Health Organization.
For the three nominations that have been made public so far, the proposed arbitrators all have extensive experience with WTO dispute settlement.
In other news, the Peterson Institute had a webinar with UK Secretary of State for International Trade Liz Truss yesterday. I asked whether the UK would be joining the MPIA, and she said they hadn't decided yet.
