The Role of WTO Dispute Settlement Institutions in Promoting the Rule of Law Over Power Orientation in the Russia-EU Trade Relationship

When Russia in 2012 joined the World Trade Organization (WTO), it also moved its bilateral power-oriented trade relationship with the European Union (EU) into a more rule of law-based framework. This paper addresses the WTO dispute settlement system's role in settling disputes relevant to the Russia-EU trade relationship. The rule of law-based framework can prove essential for businesses engaged in EU-Russia trade as it strengthens legal certainty. The paper addresses two dimensions where the WTO dispute settlement system has strengthened legal certainty: (1) by clarifying the legal value of the dispute settlement reports; and (2) by handling and clarifying the interface between trade law and environmental law, where the latter may have an impact on climate change law.