WT/DSB/60  
 
28 May 2013  
(13-2778)  Page: 1/2  
    
 
 
APPOINTMENT/REAPPOINTMENT OF  APPELLATE BODY MEMBERS 
DECISION ADOPTED BY THE DISPUTE SETTLEMENT BODY 
ON 24 MAY 2013 
Whereas the Understanding on Rules and Procedures Governing the Settlement of Disputes 
(hereinafter "DSU") provides in Article 17.2 that  the Dispute Settlement Body (hereinafter "DSB") 
shall appoint persons to serve on the Appellate Body for a four-year term and that each person 
may be reappointed once;  And whereas the Preparatory Committee for the WTO set out its recommendations for the 
selection procedure for Appellate Body members in paragraph 13 of document PC/IPL/13 
(approved by the DSB as WT/DSB/1), which provides that "[t]he decision by the DSB to appoint Appellate Body members could be made on the ba sis of a proposal formulated jointly, after 
appropriate consultations, by the Director-General , the Chairman of the DSB, and the Chairmen of 
the Goods, Services, TRIPS and General Councils";  
And whereas the Appellate Body shall comprise  persons of recognized authority, with 
demonstrated expertise in law, international trade and the subject matter of the covered agreements generally, and shall be unaffiliated with any government;  
Recalling that in previous selection processes the DSB Chair has served as chair of the selection 
committee composed of the Director-General, the DS B Chair, and the Chairpersons of the Goods, 
Services, TRIPS and General Councils and that in carrying out its work, the selection committee 
has conducted interviews with candidates and heard the views of delegations prior to making its 
recommendation to the DSB;   
Noting that the second term of Mr. David Unte rhalter and the first term of Mr. Peter Van den 
Bossche will expire on 11 December 2013 and that Mr. Van den Bossche has expressed his interest and willingness to be reappointed by the DSB for a second four-year term;  
The Dispute Settlement Body decides: 
 
(1) to launch a selection process for one position in the Appellate Body, currently held by 
Mr. David Unterhalter;  
 
(2) to establish a Selection Committee, consistent with the procedures set out in 
document WT/DSB/1 and with previous sele ction processes, comprising the Director-
General and the 2013 Chairpersons of the General Council, Goods Council, Services 
Council, the TRIPS Council and the DSB,  to be chaired by the DSB Chair; 
 
(3) to set a deadline of 30 August 2013 for Members' nominations of candidates for the 
position currently held by Mr. Unterhalter, while encouraging Members to submit nominations as early as possible and to use best efforts to submit nominations by 
31 July 2013, to facilitate due consideration of such candidates;  
 WT/DSB/60 
 
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  (4) that the Selection Committee shall carry out its work, including conducting interviews 
with candidates and hearing the views of delegations during September/October 2013, 
in order to make its recommendations to the DSB by no later than 7 November 2013, 
so that the DSB can take a final decision on this matter at the latest at its regular 
meeting on 20 November 2013; and,  
 
(5) to request the DSB Chair to carry out consultations on the possible reappointment of 
Mr. Peter Van den Bossche.  
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