The World Trade Organization: multiple dimensions of Global Administrative Law

Abstract

This article examines the WTO development of Global Administrative Law (GAL) norms of transparency, participation, reason giving and review. Vertically, the WTO has significantly improved members' domestic administration by requiring adherence to GAL norms. But internally, it has failed to follow such norms in decision making by its own administrative bodies; it should do so. Horizontally, it should evaluate other global regulatory bodies' adherence to GAL norms in deciding whether to recognize their regulatory standards. Wider adoption of GAL norms would promote more effective and responsive trade regulation in an increasingly complex global administrative space engaging a wide variety of decision making bodies, constituencies, and competing values.