Two Appellate Body positions are open, one in July, replacing a Brazilian Luiz Olavo Baptista, and one in December to replace Italian Giorgio Sacerdoti. The reported nominees are Hector Torres (Argentina), Ellen Gracie Northfleet (Brazil), Ronald Saborio Soto (Costa Rica), Peter Van den Bossche (EU - Belgium), Pieter-Jan Kuijper (EU - Netherlands), Ricardo Ramirez (Mexico).
By past trends, it may be reasonable to expect that Sacerdoti's slot will be filled by someone from the EU. Peter Van den Bossche, for me at least, will most likely get one of the slots. The six-member interview panel is chaired by the current head of the WTO's dispute settlement body, Canadian ambassador John Gero.
