The European Union (EU) and Norway have signed an agreement on interim dispute resolution in the event of trade disputes under the framework of the World Trade Organization (WTO). The agreement is the second of its kind, the first having been established between the EU and Canada earlier this year. The agreements are an effort to address the long-standing blockage of appointments to the WTO Appellate Body, and to ensure the dispute resolution mechanisms are in place, should the WTO Appellate Body cease functioning completely.