GENEVA, Nov. 8, 2009 (AFP) — The World Trade Organization (WTO) said Friday that 400 trade dispute cases had been filed since the agency was formed in 1995, with the United States and the European Union lodging the most complaints.

''On the eve of its 15th 'birthday,' the World Trade Organization (WTO) earlier this month reached the milestone of having the 400th trade dispute brought to the body's dispute settlement mechanism,'' said the trade body.

''This is surely a vote of confidence in a system which many consider to be a role model for the peaceful resolution of disputes in other areas of international political or economic relations,'' added WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy.

The 400th dispute was brought by Canada on Monday against the European Union, challenging a ban imposed by Brussels on imported seal products.

The EU is the second most frequently targeted members of the WTO, with 66 cases brought against it. In turn, it launched 81 cases.

Meanwhile, the United States is both the biggest plaintiff and defendant in WTO disputes, bringing 93 of the complaints and being targeted in 107 cases. ''Certainly, these two trading giants are the most frequent users of the system. This is not surprising since they are the world's biggest traders, as is increasingly the case with China,'' said Lamy.

Since joining the trade body in 2001, China has launched six cases and was the target of 17 cases.

Of the 400 cases filed by the trade body's 153 members, about half have been settled by the parties without going to litigation.