World Trade Organization
Recent News About World Trade Organization
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Intensified Preparations for 2024 Global Review of Aid for Trade
Preparations for the upcoming 2024 Global Review of Aid for Trade are well underway. The World Trade Organization (WTO) Secretariat has outlined the agenda for the event, which includes high-level plenaries and expert discussions focusing on the role of trade in food security, digital connectivity, and development strategies. Over 300 speakers are expected to participate, with WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann set to launch the joint flagship report, "Aid-for-Trade at a Glance."
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Aid for Trade Global Review to discuss trade mainstreaming, food security, connectivity
The upcoming Aid for Trade Global Review, scheduled for April 30, 2024, will be a significant event focusing on trade mainstreaming, food security, and connectivity. The event will feature four high-level plenaries and close to 55 sessions over two and a half days, bringing together ministers, heads of international agencies, and trade and development experts.According to Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the event aims to examine the support provided to developing economies to enhance their trade capacity, with a particular focus on the financing needs and how the...
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Members review reforms to facilitate participation in rules of origin work
The interim Chair of the committee, Mr Guna Seelan Balakrishnan from Malaysia, highlighted the implementation of measures to improve the functioning of the committee and facilitate the work of delegates. He mentioned, "A total of seven measures were agreed and have already been implemented, such as using an e-Agenda and an annotated agenda to facilitate the work." The Secretariat provided updates on the status of these measures and demonstrated some of the tools to members.Regarding the Draft Transparency Decision on Non-Preferential Rules of Origin, the interim Chair...
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Members Discuss Future Pandemics Preparedness and TRIPS Implementation Review
Members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) engaged in discussions regarding future pandemic preparedness and the implementation review of Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) at a recent meeting held on April 26, 2024.During the meeting, members agreed to rename the agenda item concerning intellectual property (IP) and COVID-19 to "IP, COVID-19, and Pandemic Preparedness" to better reflect the focus on pandemic preparedness moving forward.Delegations also addressed a communication from Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, and India regarding "TRIPS...
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Proposed Agenda Items for the Dispute Settlement Body Meeting on April 26, 2024
Items proposed for consideration at the next meeting of the Dispute Settlement Body on April 26, 2024 include a range of topics. According to the agenda, the meeting will focus on addressing various issues related to international disputes and trade.The proposed agenda items were highlighted in a recent announcement, with one of the key points being, "." This suggests that a significant discussion will be centered around this particular subject during the upcoming meeting.Furthermore, the meeting is scheduled to delve into specific matters with the intention of...
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Members welcome appointment of facilitator for WTO dispute settlement reform talks
New facilitator of dispute settlement reform processThe Chair of the DSB, Ambassador Petter Ølberg of Norway, noted that on 18 April he communicated to members that Ambassador Usha Dwarka-Canabady of Mauritius had accepted the role of facilitator for the dispute settlement reform talks following the departure of Mr Marco Molina, the convenor of the informal dispute settlement reform process.The Chair said the new facilitator will report at each regular meeting of the General Council, and to the DSB, as appropriate. She will present a work plan and a timetable for the...
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WTO reports significant increase in accession activity in annual report
Ambassador Eldiyor Toshmatov of Uzbekistan, along with other dignitaries, recently participated in an exchange with the Informal Group of Acceding Governments (IGAG). This marked the second interaction with the group since November 2021. The event followed MC13, where the accessions of Comoros and Timor-Leste were significant outcomes for the World Trade Organization (WTO) Membership.
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DG Okonjo-Iweala addresses largest gathering of acceding governments at IGAG meeting
The Informal Group of Acceding Governments (IGAG) recently held a meeting, chaired by Ambassador Eldiyor Toshmatov of Uzbekistan and attended by the Director-General (DG) Okonjo-Iweala. This marked the second time DG Okonjo-Iweala has addressed the IGAG, following her initial meeting in November 2021. The participants included representatives from Azerbaijan, the Bahamas, Belarus, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Comoros, Curaçao, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Serbia, South Sudan, Sudan, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. This assembly represented the...
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WTO Workshop Reviews Technology Transfer Incentives under TRIPS Agreement
A workshop held by the World Trade Organization (WTO) recently allowed participants to assess the incentives for technology transfer under the TRIPS Agreement, focusing on the challenges and experiences of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) in utilizing technological advancements for economic development.During the workshop, WTO Deputy Director-General Johanna Hill highlighted the significant efforts made by developed members in submitting 318 reports since 2003, detailing actions related to technology transfer in accordance with Article 66.2 of the TRIPS Agreement....
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High-level dialogue marks 30 years of TRIPS Agreement
The 30th anniversary of the TRIPS Agreement was commemorated with a high-level dialogue that brought together key stakeholders to reflect on the past, present, and future of international intellectual property (IP) rights. The event featured insightful remarks from prominent figures in the field.Director-General Okonjo-Iweala emphasized the enduring relevance of the TRIPS Agreement in promoting social and economic welfare through a balanced approach to intellectual property rights. She highlighted the pivotal role of the Agreement during the HIV/AIDS crisis, where access...
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E-commerce negotiators finalize “technical discussions” and outline next steps
E-commerce negotiators have completed their "technical discussions" and are now outlining the next steps towards concluding the negotiations. Ambassador James Baxter of Australia expressed satisfaction with the progress made, stating, "I think it's safe to say that as a group, we achieved our objective for the week of resolving all the technical issues required to move this negotiation to the final decision-making phase."Ambassador Hung Seng Tan of Singapore emphasized the significance of the negotiations, highlighting, "Members have participated actively, contributed...
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Energy Transition Takes Center Stage at WTO Environment Committee Meeting
At a recent thematic session of the Committee on Trade and Environment (CTE), discussions centered around the topic of energy transition and its impact on climate adaptation and mitigation efforts. According to the report given by the United States and Kenya, who co-facilitated the session, participants gained valuable insights from experts during panels that explored various aspects of clean energy and trade-related climate measures."The first panel explored the trade landscape of rapidly evolving areas of clean energy, including hydrogen and wind energy," noted the...
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Members Review Anti-Dumping Actions and Regulations at First Biannual Meeting of 2024
Members of the Committee gathered for their first biannual meeting of 2024 to review anti-dumping actions and regulations. The Chair of the Committee, Mrs Ayşegül Şahinoğlu Yerdeş (Türkiye), presided over the discussions.During the meeting, the Committee reviewed notifications of legislation from various countries. The Chair urged members to promptly submit reports of actions and welcomed the extensive use of the anti-dumping portal for submissions.Questions were raised by several delegations regarding actions contained in the semi-annual reports submitted by multiple...
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South Africa Challenges EU Citrus Fruit Measures in WTO Dispute
South Africa has initiated a second dispute complaint against the European Union concerning its measures on citrus fruit imports. The issue at hand involves the EU's ban on importing South African citrus fruit affected by the fungus known as "citrus black spot."According to South Africa, the EU's import prohibition on citrus fruit impacted by citrus black spot may be in violation of the WTO's Agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures. This marks the second time South Africa has raised concerns about the EU's import regulations on citrus fruit.The first dispute,...
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Trade Growth and Poverty Reduction Over 30 Years
---Global trade has experienced significant growth over the past three decades, resulting in positive impacts on poverty reduction and economic development. According to experts Barbara D’Andrea, Christophe Degain, Florian Eberth, Stela Rubínová, Monia Snoussi-Mimouni, and Ankai Xu, the signing of the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization in 1994 marked the beginning of a transformative period in global trade.The World Trade Organization, established as the successor to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, has played a crucial role in...
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Transparency concerns highlighted at SCM Committee meeting
Transparency concerns were at the center of discussions during a recent meeting of the Subsidies and Countervailing Measures (SCM) Committee. The Chair emphasized the importance of timely notifications from members, stating, "all members benefit from the collective effort of timely and complete notifications." Eight other members echoed these concerns and calls.The Chair also praised the WTO Secretariat's support and a successful technical assistance project aimed at improving the notification process. He noted that the project led to 11 out of 23 developing and least...
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WTO members review safeguard actions during latest biannual committee meeting
WTO members gathered for their latest biannual committee meeting to review safeguard actions, with a particular focus on legislative notifications and specific safeguard actions taken by various countries. Japan and Australia raised concerns over the recent increase in safeguard initiations and impositions, labeling them as inappropriate use of the instrument.During the meeting, notifications of new or amended national safeguard legislation or regulations from several countries were reviewed. Additionally, specific safeguard actions taken by countries such as Indonesia,...
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Trade Policy Review: Morocco
The World Trade Organization (WTO) conducted a Trade Policy Review of Morocco, with the discussions focusing on various reports and documents. The Secretariat report, prepared independently by the WTO Secretariat, provided a detailed analysis of Morocco's trade policies. In addition, the Government report, which presented a policy statement from the Moroccan government, was also a key document in the review process.According to the WTO's procedures, the Secretariat and Government reports were thoroughly examined and deliberated upon by the WTO's full membership in the...
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WTO releases report on Chinese duties affecting Australian wine
The World Trade Organization (WTO) has released a panel report concerning the duties imposed by China on Australian wine. On March 29, both parties informed the WTO that they had arrived at a mutually agreed solution to address the issues raised in this dispute.
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Working Party reviews state trading enterprise notifications amid calls for transparency
The Working Party recently reviewed new notifications on state trading enterprises from eleven members, including Albania, Australia, Iceland, Macao (China), Montenegro, Nicaragua, North Macedonia, Seychelles, South Africa, Chinese Taipei, and Uruguay. Additionally, delegations raised further questions regarding previous notifications from China, India, Mauritius, and the Philippines.