Dispute settlement system under the World Trade Organization (WTO) was developed from the concept envisaged by GATT 1947. The system under GATT 1947 was initially diplomatic oriented. Its basic mechanisms were consultations with diplomatic character and political negotiations („power oriented approach“). At the end of the Uruguay Round of negotiations (1986-1994), it comes to the establishment of the WTO, and result was also the agreement which regulates subject of dispute settlement - Dispute Settlement Understanding – DSU. DSU introduces huge reforms in previous method of disputes settlement, and represents one of the most important agreements under the WTO. Dispute settlement system becomes exclusively based on WTO legal provisions („rule oriented approach“), and in that regard, it was granted by epithet „legalistic“. Legality of the system is largely secured by the people who settle disputes. Dispute settlement authorities (panels and Appelate Body) are composed by independent experts, and not by representatives of states, with main goal to ascertain whether some internal measure complies with WTO law.Sistem rešavanja sporova u okvirima Svetske trgovinske organizacije (STO) razvijao se iz koncepta predviđenog Opštim sporazumom o carinama i trgovini - GATT 1947. Sistem u okviru GATT 1947 je inicijalno bio diplomatski orijentisan. Njegov osnovni mehanizam su bile konsultacije diplomatskog karaktera i politički pregovori (eng. power oriented approach). Nakon završetka Urugvajske runde pregovora (1986-1994), dolazi do osnivanja STO, a rezultat je i poseban sporazum kojim je regulisana materija rešavanja sporova - Dogovor o pravilima i procedurama za rešavanje sporova (Dispute Settlement Understanding – DSU). DSU uvodi krupne reforme u dotadašnji način rešavanja sporova i jedan je od najznačajnijih sporazuma u okviru STO. Sistem rešavanja sporova postaje isključivo zasnovan na pravnim normama STO (eng. rule oriented approach), zbog čega je, za razliku od prethodnog sistema, dobio epitet „legalističkog“. Legalnost sistema je u velikoj meri obezbeđena i u pogledu lica koja sporove rešavaju. Organi nadležni za rešavanje sporova (paneli i Apelaciono telo) sastoje se od nezavisnih eksperata, a ne od predstavnika država, čiji je cilj da utvrde da li je određena mera u saglasnosti sa pravom STO
