Over 14,700 participants from developing countries benefited from WTO training courses and distance learning programmes in 2014. This training has been instrumental in helping government officials gain a greater understanding of the multilateral trading system and in helping developing countries tackle the challenges of being a WTO member, enforce their rights and meet their obligations.

20 Years of the WTO: A retrospective provides an overview of the first two decades of the arbiter of the multilateral trading system. A selection of compelling images and excerpts guides the reader through the history of the organization. Readers will uncover the origins, mission, composition, functioning and key figures of the organization, all the while exploring the challenges it has faced, and how it has worked to meet these challenges.

World Tariff Profiles 2013 — a joint publication of the WTO, the International Trade Centre (ITC) and the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) — provides comprehensive tariff information on all WTO members and a number of other countries where data is available. It is the only compilation of tariff information of its kind available to researchers and negotiators. The publication summarizes the market access that each country offers to imports as well as the market access conditions faced by its products in its major export markets. The profiles show both the maximum tariff rates that are legally “bound” in the WTO and the rates that countries actually apply. The technical annex in this year’s issue focuses on WTO members’ participation in regional trade agreements (RTAs), with complementary data provided on tariff elimination in RTAs notified under the WTO’s Transparency Mechanism.

World Tariff Profiles 2015 provides a unique collection of data on tariffs imposed by WTO members and other countries. It is jointly published by the WTO, the International Trade Centre (ITC) and the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). The first part of the publication provides summary tables showing the average tariffs imposed by individual economies. The second part provides a more detailed table for each economy, listing the tariffs it imposes on imports (by product group) as well as the tariffs it faces for exports to major trading partners. The profiles show the maximum tariff rates that are legally “bound” in the WTO and the rates that economies actually apply. Data on anti-dumping measures are provided in a separate annex. The special topic in this year’s issue is “Tariff accumulation, effective protection and export competitiveness in global production”, which looks into the impact of tariffs on industrial production costs.

World Tariff Profiles 2017 provides comprehensive information on the tariffs and non-tariff measures imposed by over 170 countries and customs territories. The publication starts with a breakdown of the tariffs imposed by these economies. The data is presented in summary tables and in individual one page profiles for each economy. This is followed by a section on the use of nontariff measures, which are becoming increasingly important in international trade. The special topic for this edition is an article entitled “Export diversification”, which gives an analysis of export diversification indicators over time. The publication is jointly prepared by the World Trade Organization, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the International Trade Centre (ITC).

World Tariff Profiles 2021 provides comprehensive information on the tariffs and non-tariff measures imposed by over 170 countries and customs territories. The publication starts with a breakdown of the tariffs imposed by these economies. Tariff data are presented in comparative tables and in one-page profiles for each economy. A summary table on selected indicators on the imports and exports profile for these economies is also presented. Statistics on non-tariff measures by country and by product group complement the data on tariffs. The special topic deals with estimating analytical indicators related to non-tariff measures using UNCTAD TRAINS data. The publication is jointly prepared by the World Trade Organization, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the International Trade Centre (ITC).

The World Trade Report is an annual WTO publication focused on trade trends and policy issues. The 2004 edition reviews recent trade developments and examines issues including coherence in trade and macroeconomic policies, geographical indications, and the liberalization of trade in services through the temporary movement of natural persons.

The annual World Trade Report focuses on trade policy issues - the core topic addressed in 2006 is subsidies. The Report also takes a look at recent trade developments and examines a range of trade topics, including trade in textiles and clothing, flows of international receipts and payments of royalties and license fees, trends in the trade of least-developed countries, and the impact of natural disasters and terrorist acts on international trade flows. The World Trade Report is useful for policymakers and for any individuals or groups interested in global trade policy.

The theme of this year’s Report is “Trade in a Globalizing World”. The Report provides a reminder of what we know about the gains from international trade and highlights the challenges arising from higher levels of integration. It addresses a range of interlinking questions, starting with a consideration of what constitutes globalization, what drives it, what benefits does it bring, what challenges does it pose and what role does trade play in this world of ever-growing inter-dependency. The Report asks why some countries have managed to take advantage of falling trade costs and greater policy-driven trading opportunities while others have remained largely outside international commercial relations. It also considers who the winners and losers are from trade and what complementary action is needed from policy-makers to secure the benefits of trade for society at large. In examining these complex and multi-faceted questions, the Report reviews both the theoretical gains from trade and empirical evidence that can help to answer these questions.