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Abstract

World Trade Organization (WTO) committees meet regularly to monitor and oversee the implementation of the WTO agreements. It rarely makes the news, but this work is nonetheless an important supportive function of the organization. The committees cover a wide range of topics, and some have been added from time to time. In this Article, we propose a Committee on National Security to address the growing challenge to the trade regime presented by national security measures. WTO litigation has a limited ability to handle these sensitive issues, and there would be great value in a committee designated to provide oversight of these measures. This would include the following components: a forum for regular discussion and coordination of approaches on trade-related aspects of national security matters; a monitoring mechanism to increase transparency on the use and application of national security measures; a Technical Group for developing recommendations and guidelines; and a process for immediate rebalancing, either through compensation or retaliation, where such measures have been imposed and their impact on trade can be demonstrated.

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