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Dispute settlement as a tool for achieving integration objectives: lessons for Southern Africa from the WTO
Abstract
Dispuut beslegtiging as hulpmiddel vir die nastreef van integrasie doelwitte: lesse vir Suidelike Afrika vanuit die WHO
Dispuut beslegtigingsprosesse binne streeksverband toon duidelike voorkeure vir diplomatiese ingryping en skikking. Verrigtinge geskied agter geslote deure en word noodwendigerwys geheim gehou. Sadinge besluite affekteer 'n breรซr gemeenskap van belanghebbendes wat dikwels geen stem het om besluitnemingsprosesse te beรฏnvloed nie. Openlikheid en deursigtigheid is dikwels 'n probleem in organisies van hierdie aard. Daar is ook verskeie voorbeelde van hoe effektiewe dispuut beslegtigingsprosedures doelwitte van sodanige organisasies kan bevorder. Die bestaan van die Wรชreld Handelsorganisasie (WHO) en die Europese Gemeenskappe (EG) getuig daarvan. Hierdie artikel poog om voorbeelde van goeie dispuut beslegtigingsbeginsels te identifiseer binne die WHO en hulle toe te pas op streeksorganisasies soos die Suidelike Afrikaanse Ontwikkelingsgemeenskap en die Suidelike Afrikaanse Doeane Unie. Verskeie aspekte van verwikkelinge binne die WHO sal nagegaan word.Verder word die vereiste van deursigtigheid en die toegang van die publiek tot dispuut beslegtigingsprosesse ook beklemtoon.
Dispute settlement processes within regional organisations tend to exhibit a preference for diplomatic intervention and settlement. These processes often take place behind closed doors and settlements are secret. Due to the fact that decisions, whether on regional or multilateral level, affect a greater constituency of interested parties it is imperative to empower such stakeholders to influence the decisionmaking process. Transparency within dispute settlement systems has always been questioned. Notable examples exist today that demonstrate how effective dispute settlement systems may enhance the aims of organisations that employ them. The World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the European Communities (EC) provide ample proof of this contention. This article attempts to identify and apply examples of good dispute settlement principles found within the jurisprudence of the WTO and to apply them to regional organisations like SADC and SACU.Various aspects of the development of the dispute settlement system within the WTO will be traced. Transparency and public access to dispute settlement procedures are also accentuated.
Journal for Juridicial Science Vol.28(3) 2004: 129-141
Dispuut beslegtigingsprosesse binne streeksverband toon duidelike voorkeure vir diplomatiese ingryping en skikking. Verrigtinge geskied agter geslote deure en word noodwendigerwys geheim gehou. Sadinge besluite affekteer 'n breรซr gemeenskap van belanghebbendes wat dikwels geen stem het om besluitnemingsprosesse te beรฏnvloed nie. Openlikheid en deursigtigheid is dikwels 'n probleem in organisies van hierdie aard. Daar is ook verskeie voorbeelde van hoe effektiewe dispuut beslegtigingsprosedures doelwitte van sodanige organisasies kan bevorder. Die bestaan van die Wรชreld Handelsorganisasie (WHO) en die Europese Gemeenskappe (EG) getuig daarvan. Hierdie artikel poog om voorbeelde van goeie dispuut beslegtigingsbeginsels te identifiseer binne die WHO en hulle toe te pas op streeksorganisasies soos die Suidelike Afrikaanse Ontwikkelingsgemeenskap en die Suidelike Afrikaanse Doeane Unie. Verskeie aspekte van verwikkelinge binne die WHO sal nagegaan word.Verder word die vereiste van deursigtigheid en die toegang van die publiek tot dispuut beslegtigingsprosesse ook beklemtoon.
Dispute settlement processes within regional organisations tend to exhibit a preference for diplomatic intervention and settlement. These processes often take place behind closed doors and settlements are secret. Due to the fact that decisions, whether on regional or multilateral level, affect a greater constituency of interested parties it is imperative to empower such stakeholders to influence the decisionmaking process. Transparency within dispute settlement systems has always been questioned. Notable examples exist today that demonstrate how effective dispute settlement systems may enhance the aims of organisations that employ them. The World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the European Communities (EC) provide ample proof of this contention. This article attempts to identify and apply examples of good dispute settlement principles found within the jurisprudence of the WTO and to apply them to regional organisations like SADC and SACU.Various aspects of the development of the dispute settlement system within the WTO will be traced. Transparency and public access to dispute settlement procedures are also accentuated.
Journal for Juridicial Science Vol.28(3) 2004: 129-141
