THE FORGOTTEN COG IN THE DISPUTE SETTLEMENT MACHINE: AN ANALYSIS OF THE UNDERAPPRECIATED ROLES AND MANDATES OF THE DISPUTE SETTLEMENT BODY IN THE DISPUTE SETTLEMENT PROCESS

When it comes to the study of the World Trade Organization narratives position panels and the Appellate Body as the central actor in resolving disputes. However, this does not put enough emphasis on the importance of the Dispute Settlement Body (hereinafter "DSB'), its special role in the dispute settlement process and the mandates accorded to it according to the terms of the Dispute Settlement Understanding (DSU). This Paper would like to present an alternative landscape of the dispute settlement process by highlighting the role and mandate of the DSB, including its special mandates and functions. Then based on these analyses, this Paper will present some observations on the current state of the WTO dispute settlement system.