Unlocking WTO decision-making rebuilding cooperative consensus culture to remedy the efficiency deficit Chang-fa Lo

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Luo, Changfa, 1956- author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

World Trade Organization.

International economic relations--Decision making.

Physical Description:

1 online resource

Place of Publication:

Singapore Springer [2026]

Summary:

"This book examines one of the most pressing governance challenges facing the WTO: its growing difficulty in producing timely, effective and collectively acceptable decisions. While the WTO remains formally committed to consensus-based decision-making, this foundational principle has increasingly generated what the book conceptualizes as an “efficiency deficit”—a widening gap between Members’ expectations of institutional delivery and the Organization’s actual decision-making capacity. Rather than attributing this paralysis to the heterogeneity of its membership or to individual Members’ exercise of “de facto veto power”, the book identifies both internal and external drivers of institutional strain. It shows how negotiation processes, institutional design and Member interactions collectively shape decision-making outcomes, contributing to persistent deadlock across key negotiating areas. The book further argues that overcoming these constraints does not require abandoning consensus, but rebuilding the conditions under which it can function effectively. Central to this effort is the reconstruction of cooperative culture, sustained by trust, sequencing strategies and a member-driven approach that enables incremental progress. It also highlights the enabling role of institutional actors—such as the Secretariat, the Director-General and negotiation chairs—in facilitating dialogue, structuring negotiations and fostering convergence. Through this integrated framework, the book offers a pathway for restoring functionality to WTO decision-making while preserving its core principles of inclusiveness and legitimacy"-- Springer Nature Link

Contents:

Consensus-based decision-making from GATT 1947 to Marrakesh : Design and evolution

Sources, indicators and consequences of efficiency deficit in WTO decision-making

Member-driven principle and its role in WTO decision-making

Reframing the notion of a “de facto veto” in WTO consensus-building : From an oversimplified label to a deeper understanding of member behavior

Weakening or abandoning consensus not an option for a diverse WTO

Voting or rule changes not viable solutions for the WTO

The “responsible consensus” proposal : Aspirations and constraints within the consensus framework

Why interest-based negotiation helps but falls short of overcoming the WTO decision-making stalemate

The temptation of looking outside : Why plurilateralism “outside” but “parallel” to the WTO is not a sustainable substitute

Trust, mistrust and functional tolerance in WTO decision-making

Balance between safeguarding individual positions and shaping common outcome under member-driven principle : Building a sense of collective agency

Fostering cooperative culture through informal mechanisms and confidence-building

Fostering cooperative culture by key actors : The Secretariat, the DG, negotiation chairs and system-oriented member leadership

Sequenced progress to secure incremental gains and build cooperative momentum

Recent instances of consensus building : Services-DR, Fish I and the internal processes of IFD and E-Commerce JSIs

Recalibrating cooperative consensus : Functional tolerance in WTO appellate reform

Testing functional tolerance : Cooperative consensus in the OCOF fisheries subsidies negotiations

Cooperative consensus over JSIs’ incorporation : A sequenced pathway from soft embedding to Annex 4 integration

Conclusion : Revitalizing cooperative consensus in a diverse WTO

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references

Online resource; title from PDF title page (Springer Nature Link, viewed August 6, 2026)

Other Format:

Print version Luo, Changfa, 1956- Unlocking WTO decision-making

ISBN:

9789819239313

9819239311

OCLC:

1609868995

Access Restriction:

Restricted for use by site license