Reforming the WTO dispute settlement system: a rethink of the third party right of access to panel and appeal processes from developing countries’ perspectives

One of the evolving issues that have stimulated a real debate among WTO members is the reform of third party rights. The aim of this study is to analyse the importance of such rights for developing counties, showing how exercising them more widely could give developing counties a real insight into the functioning of the DSM and allow them to familiarise themselves with the system. However, third party rights are often unclear and sometimes confusing; hence, proposals for reform of third party rights in both the panel/AB processes will be evaluated with particular reference to developing countries.