The GATT was an organization that was seldom at the centre of political controversy, nor was it the object of virulent protest. The WTO, which succeeded it, however, has not enjoyed the GATT's anonymity. The controversies surrounding the WTO detract from its effectiveness and debase its credibility. In large measure, the contentious issues that the WTO has been attempting to deal with since its inception do not have at their heart trade in goods and services. The framers of the WTO took bold steps to create a new institution during the Uruguay Round--much of which has turned out to be a significant improvement on the GATT. This does not mean, however, that everything that was put in place has proved to be an improvement, or even workable. It may be time to consider returning the WTO to its basic function--providing a set of rules for the conduct of trade in goods and services.