The WTO deals with the regulation of trade in goods, services and intellectual property between participating countries by providing a framework for the negotiation of trade agreements and a dispute settlement procedure aimed at enforcing WTO agreements by participants that are signed by representatives of member governments[8]: doc.9-10 and ratified by their parliaments. [9] The WTO prohibits discrimination between trading partners, but provides exceptions for environmental protection, national security and other important objectives. [10] Trade disputes are settled by independent WTO judges in dispute settlement proceedings.