Geneva, Switzerland, 16 May 2024 - The Philippines, through its Permanent Mission to the World Trade Organization (WTO), today notified participation in the Multi-Party Interim Appeal Arbitration Arrangement (MPIA), an interim mechanism formed by like-minded WTO members in 2020 to provide an appeal mechanism on WTO trade disputes by providing access to a 10-member roster of arbitrators. Ambassador Manuel Teehankee, Permanent Representative of the Philippines to the WTO, presented today the notification documents to the chair of the WTO Dispute Settlement Body (DSB), Ambassador Saqer Abdullah Almoqbel of Saudi Arabia.
Amb. Teehankee stressed “joining the MPIA sends a strong political statement of the Philippines’ unwavering support for a fully functioning WTO dispute settlement system” as WTO members start this month formal negotiations on WTO dispute settlement system reforms. “It is also an opportunity for the Philippines to learn from other MPIA members on WTO law and litigation practice.” Amb. Almoqbel congratulated the Philippines for joining the MPIA “at this critical moment”, adding the decision of the Philippines is “highly appreciated by members” especially that it is “known to all as a friend of the system, and you could help overcome the impasse in the AB.”
A strong supporter of a rules-based multilateral trading system and a responsible WTO member, the Philippines’ decision was reached by the inter-agency committee (Committee on Tariff and Related Matters), making it the 53rd WTO member[1] to become an MPIA participant. MPIA provides a mechanism to resolve appeals on panel reports through arbitration proceedings under Article 25 of the Dispute Settlement Understanding, thus maintaining the two-tier dispute resolution framework of the WTO while its Appellate Body (AB) is not functioning. The MPIA is not considered a formal treaty or international obligation and will cease to operate once the AB is functional again.
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[1] Australia, Benin, Brazil, Canada, China, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, the European Union (27 members states), Guatemala, Hong Kong China, Iceland, Japan, Macao China, Mexico, Montenegro, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Pakistan, Peru, Singapore, Switzerland, Ukraine and Uruguay are the participating members of MPIA as of 15 May 2024. (see complete list in Annex A)
Roster of MPIA Arbitrators: Mr. Thomas Cottier (Switzerland), Mr. Mateo Diego-Fernández Andrade (Mexico), Mr. José Alfredo Graça Lima (Brazil), Ms. Locknie Hsu (Singapore), Ms. Valerie Hughes (Canada), Mr. Alejandro Jara (Chile), Ms. Claudia Orozco (Colombia), Mr. Joost Pauwelyn (EU), Ms. Penelope Ridings (New Zealand), and Mr. Guohua Yang (China)
