Books

Services are currently the largest and most dynamic sector of many economies, underpinning growth, productivity and employment. Yet, the costs of trading services remain significantly higher than those for goods, largely due to regulatory and governance differences across economies. Furthermore, opaque and inefficient authorization procedures for service providers can limit participation in services trade, particularly for developing economies. To address these challenges, over 70 WTO members adopted new Disciplines on Services Domestic Regulation, which entered into force in 2024. These disciplines aim to embed good regulatory practices (GRPs) into services policies and facilitate services trade by fostering transparency, predictability and efficiency in regulatory frameworks. This publication examines how GRPs can reduce trade costs, enhance economic performance and support financial inclusion. It outlines 14 core GRPs for improving transparency and efficiency in authorization and licensing processes, with the aim of promoting international regulatory cooperation. Four case studies, focusing on Costa Rica, Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand, illustrate how reforms anchored in clear legal frameworks can reduce compliance costs, enforce quality standards and reduce processing times. The publication also introduces the Diagnostic and Reform Planning Tool, a new instrument developed to assist policymakers and regulators in mapping their domestic regulatory frameworks against the 14 GRPs set out in this publication.

El Acuerdo sobre Subvenciones a la Pesca de la OMC, que entró en vigor en septiembre de 2025, establece nuevas normas multilaterales vinculantes para reducir las subvenciones perjudiciales, un factor clave del agotamiento generalizado de las poblaciones de peces en el mundo. Este folleto analiza por qué es importante el Acuerdo, qué subvenciones están prohibidas y las obligaciones de transparencia de los Miembros de la OMC establecidas en el Acuerdo. También aborda los benefi cios previstos del Acuerdo, desde proteger los medios de subsistencia de las comunidades pesqueras de todo el mundo hasta fomentar un futuro más sostenible para nuestros océanos.

The WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, which entered into force in September 2025, establishes binding, multilateral rules for curbing harmful subsidies, a key factor in the widespread depletion of the world’s fish stocks. This brochure looks at why the Agreement is important, which subsidies are prohibited, and WTO members’ transparency obligations under the Agreement. It also covers the expected benefits of the Agreement, from protecting the livelihoods of fishing communities around the world to supporting a more sustainable future for our shared oceans.

The fourth review of the trade policies and practices of Papua New Guinea takes place on 11 and 13 February 2026. The basis for the review is a report by the WTO Secretariat and a report by the Government of Papua New Guinea.

Trade finance is routinely supplied to exporters and importers by banks and other financial intermediaries, mitigating the financial and payment risks involved in cross-border trade. However, significant shortages exist in many developing economies. To better understand the trade finance ecosystem in these economies, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the WTO have engaged in a series of surveys aimed at examining the specific obstacles faced by lenders and borrowers in low-income regions. This latest study focuses on three developing economies in Latin America — Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico.