Re: Another Great UK Moment in History
Originally Posted by
galty
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That's it in a nut shell
One of the frequently mentioned objections to the WTO is its way of working, and in particular its 'consensus building'. This decision-making process is opaque and not democratic, critics say. The GATT also suffered from this criticism. In theory, all Member States have an equal voice. Although officially possible, voting has never occurred. The Member State that does not oppose a proposal during meetings is automatically deemed to be in favor.
This form of consensus building takes place outside of formal meetings, in the so-called 'back rooms'. This informal consultation is considered necessary inherent to the WTO and "takes the upper hand when time is running out or important decisions are made".