The European Union as a member of the World Trade Organization
The European Union as a member of the World Trade Organization

Summary/Abstract: The paper discusses the membership of the European Union in the World Trade Organization. It starts with the description of the stages of economic integration process that has been taking place in Europe, in order to allow to show the difference between the shape of the European integration structure when it started to function within the GATT system and nowadays, when after the adoption of the Treaty of Lisbon, the EU, along with the EU member states, is the member of the WTO. This evolution is shown from both, the EU law and the international trade law, point of view. It is described how customs unions and other exceptions to the most-favoured-nation clause are allowed to function within the GATT/WTO system. From the EU law point of view, the paper presents the evolution of the EU competence in the common trade policy, including the external competence in this area. It also shows how the member states and the EU are represented in the particular WTO bodies, such as the Ministerial Conference, the General Council and the Dispute Settlement Body.

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