Books

“World Trade Statistical Review” looks into the latest trends in global trade, with in-depth analysis of what is being traded and who the key players are. Analytical chapters are complemented by over 65 tables providing a detailed breakdown of the goods and services being traded and the leading exporters/importers.

Measures such as prohibitions, export licences and restrictions assist in risk management and the regulation of trade in controlled and sensitive goods. They are established pursuant to international agreements and conventions on protecting people and the environment, on controlling drugs and harmful substances, and on contributing to international peace and weapons controls. This publication explores how particular international agreements and conventions operate in practice and how they link to the multilateral trading system. Prepared or reviewed by the secretariats and implementing bodies of the relevant international agreements and conventions, the chapters delve into the export-related controls covered by these legal instruments and how these restrictions tie in with WTO agreements. The agreements and conventions included in this publication were selected on the basis of three criteria: the presence of provisions in the agreement or convention that seek to regulate exports; the extent to which WTO members are party to those provisions; and how often members refer to them in their notifications submitted to the WTO Secretariat. The aim of the publication is to provide a better understanding of how international agreements and conventions regulate the export of high-risk and controlled goods and how these regulations co-exist with WTO rules.

The WTO’s “Global Trade Outlook and Statistics” analyses recent global trade developments up to the fourth quarter of 2023 and presents the organization’s forecasts for world trade in 2024 and 2025. Breakdowns of merchandise and commercial services trade by sector and region are provided, together with details on leading traders. The report is timed to coincide with the release of the WTO’s latest quarterly and annual trade statistics, which can be downloaded from the WTO’s online database at stats.wto.org.

Las “Perspectivas del comercio mundial y estadísticas” de la OMC analizan la evolución reciente del comercio mundial hasta el cuarto trimestre de 2023 y presentan las previsiones de la Organización sobre el comercio mundial en 2024 y 2025. Se proporcionan desgloses del comercio de mercancías y servicios comerciales por sectores y regiones, así como información detallada sobre los principales interlocutores comerciales. La publicación del informe coincide con la de las últimas estadísticas comerciales trimestrales y anuales de la OMC, que pueden descargarse de la base de datos en línea de la OMC en la dirección siguiente: stats.wto.org.

La OMC ha publicado su informe anual 2024, en el que se da cuenta exhaustiva de las actividades de la Organización en 2023 y en la primera parte de 2024. El informe repasa los principales acontecimientos del pasado año, como la Decimotercera Conferencia Ministerial, y describe la labor de la OMC para hacer frente a los retos a los que se enfrenta el comercio mundial y aprovechar sus oportunidades.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to lead to a new era of growth. By transforming how goods and services are produced, exchanged and consumed, AI can bring about substantial changes in the global economy. Yet the future trajectory of AI remains uncertain, raising critical questions about trade and inclusive growth. The World Trade Report 2025 explores the complex and fast-evolving relationship between AI and international trade and how this relationship can shape inclusive growth. AI offers new opportunities to reduce trade costs, boost productivity and expand access to global markets. In addition, trade can help to render AI more accessible by spreading knowledge, fostering innovation and promoting participation in AI value chains. However, unequal access across the world to digital infrastructure, appropriate skills and capabilities could increase the digital divide. Also, the impact of AI on the labour market presents additional challenges. Whether AI-enabled trade translates into broad-based, inclusive growth will depend on the design and implementation of trade and trade-related policies. WTO rules on trade in goods, services, data, intellectual property and public procurement can shape the availability, affordability and diffusion of AI. Complementary policies regulating competition, data infrastructure, energy, education and government support can also help to determine whether and how economies benefit from AI-enabled trade. The WTO can play a central role in ensuring that AI supports more inclusive trade-led growth by administering WTO rules, by fostering dialogue, transparency and capacity-building, and by deepening collaboration on AI and digital trade with other international organizations.

The Global Value Chain Development Report 2023, the fourth in this biennial series, is released at a critical juncture in the evolution of Global Value Chains (GVCs). In response to the diverse shocks of recent years, this report explores approaches to build resilient and sustainable GVCs. It provides an overview of the most recent trends in GVCs, assesses the effects of the trade tensions and the COVID-19 pandemic on GVCs, and illustrates particular changes of energy and semiconductor supply chains. It also analyzes the challenges of climate change to GVCs and proposes a framework of greening value chains and policy options for enhancing inclusive development through GVC participation.

Trade Policy Tools for Climate Action, a publication by the WTO Secretariat, looks into the trade policies that governments could consider as part of their strategies for climate change mitigation and adaptation. The publication covers ten policy areas where governments have introduced measures to support the transition to a low-carbon economy, improve the flow of climate-friendly goods and services, decarbonize supply chains, and build resilience to extreme weather events and climate change. Launched at COP28, the publication is intended to shed light on how trade policy actions for climate could accelerate the transition to a climate-friendly global economy as part of the WTO Secretariat’s efforts to encourage the full use of the power of trade to deliver on collective sustainable development objectives, including those in relation to the climate crisis.

Hydrogen produced exclusively from renewable power – known as green hydrogen – is widely recognised as a key pillar in replacing fossil fuels and decarbonizing sectors that cannot easily be electrified, such as some industrial processes, shipping and aviation. This publication – jointly produced by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the World Trade Organization (WTO) – explores how trade policies can support the development of green hydrogen markets. The publication highlights in particular how lowering tariffs on key products, building reliable infrastructure, realigning domestic support programmes and developing green government procurement can foster the development of green hydrogen supply chains and the transition to a low-carbon economy. International trade could also play a significant role in matching supply and demand for green hydrogen, as the potential for domestic production in some economies might not be enough to satisfy domestic demand. The publication also addresses the challenges and opportunities for developing economies offered by green hydrogen and its derivatives, such as green methanol and green ammonia. It underscores the importance of international cooperation and the need to align regulatory frameworks to encourage technology development, enhanced transparency and market growth.

“Trade Policy Reviews" analyse the trade policies and practices of each member of the WTO. The reviews consist of three parts: an independent report by the WTO Secretariat, a report by the government, and the concluding remarks by the Chair of the WTO’s Trade Policy Review Body. The opening section - "key trade facts" - provides a visual overview of the WTO member's major exports/imports, main export destinations, origins for its imports and other key data. This edition looks into the trade practices of Seychelles.