The 'Odd Couple': The Responsibility of the EU at the WTO

Abstract

The present contribution shows how the special way in which the EU exercises its responsibilities at the WTO significantly impacts its relations with its Member States and their roles in the WTO dispute settlement system. More specifically, it argues that the institutional design of the WTO dispute settlement system as well as the special features of the relations between the EU and its Member States in the fi eld of trade render the latter almost invisible, hiding them behind the veil of the EU, which constitutes both an exception to the general rule of joint responsibility as well as an example for a more advanced way of dealing with international responsibility. Moreover, this contribution shows that the other WTO contracting parties have, by and large, come to accept the invisibility of the EU Member States in the WTO dispute settlement system.