在WTO体制下，争端解决机制起着非常重要的作用。根据《争端解决规则和程序的谅解》的有关规定，在争端各方无法通过磋商程序达成解决办法时，申诉一方可以要求争端解决机构成立一个专家小组来审查该案件。专家小组实际上就相当于一审法院。如果当事国对专家小组报告（相当于一审判决）不服，可上诉至由7人组成的常设上诉机构。上诉机构进行保密和书面审理，其审理的范围限于专家小组报告中的法律问题。上诉机构可以维持、修改或推翻专家小组的法律认定和结论。上诉机构报告由争端解决机构采纳后，当事 Under the WTO system, the dispute settlement mechanism plays a very important role. According to the relevant provisions of the “Understanding of Dispute Settlement Rules and Procedures”, when the parties to the dispute can not reach a settlement through the consultation process, the complainant may request the dispute settlement agency to set up a panel of experts to examine the case. The panel is actually equivalent to the court of first instance. If the parties refuse to accept the report of the panel of experts (equivalent to the judgment of the first instance), they may appeal to a permanent appellate body of seven persons. The Appellate Body conducts confidential and written hearings, the scope of which is limited to the legal issues in the Panel’s report. The Appellate Body may maintain, amend or overrule the panel’s legal findings and conclusions. The Appellate Body Report is adopted by the Dispute Settlement Body after the parties