About the WTO
The emergence of non-state actors in international commercial disputes through WTO Appellate Body case-law
During the first ten years of its existence, the global legitimacy of the World Trade Organization (WTO) has frequently been called into question by ‘civil society’, and particularly by non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Everyone recalls, for example, the events during the conference in Seattle. One of the main criticisms is that the WTO’s decisions, and especially those taken within a dispute settlement context, are arrived at ‘behind closed doors’ and take into account only the trade-offs between state interests with no consideration for the rights and interests of private individuals. To make up for these shortcomings, NGOs and various private bodies, including those that represent multinational corporations, have been demanding, among other things, the right to join WTO dispute settlement proceedings, as ‘friends of the court’ and, in that capacity, submit amicus curiae briefs.
Comercio y desarrollo
El Comité de Comercio y Desarrollo celebró su primera sesión sobre el Mecanismo de Vigilancia para examinar la aplicación de las disposiciones sobre trato especial y diferenciado para los países en desarrollo establecidas en los Acuerdos y decisiones de la OMC.
The limits of the WTO: Facing non-trade issues
If the trading system of the twenty-first century is to succeed in ‘raising standards of living, ensuring full employment and a large and steadily growing volume of real income and effective demand, and expanding the production and trade in goods and services . . . in accordance with the objective of sustainable development’, it must be equipped to achieve these goals.
Octava Conferencia Ministerial (CM8)
La Octava Conferencia Ministerial de la OMC se celebró en Ginebra (Suiza) del 15 al 17 de diciembre de 2011 y estuvo presidida por el Sr. Olusegun Olutoyin Aganga (Nigeria).
Contactos con la comunidad empresarial
En 2016, aumentó significativamente la colaboración con la comunidad empresarial. En mayo, la OMC acogió una reunión de dirigentes empresariales, a petición de la Cámara de Comercio Internacional (CCI) y del B-20, la rama empresarial del G-20. El evento se celebró en el marco de la iniciativa “Diálogos sobre el Comercio”, que tiene por objeto dar a las distintas partes interesadas, en particular la comunidad empresarial, la oportunidad de debatir sobre cuestiones comerciales. Se realizó una actividad de seguimiento en el Foro Público de la OMC, a la que asistieron numerosos representantes del sector privado.
Preface by WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy
“History,” wrote James Baldwin, “does not refer merely, or even principally, to the past. On the contrary, the great force of history comes from the fact that we carry it within us, are unconsciously controlled by it in many ways, and history is literally present in all that we do.” It is in this spirit that I have commissioned The History and Future of the World Trade Organization. The purpose of this work is to not only tell us about our past, but to explain our present and to inform our future.
Examens des politiques commerciales
En 2014, l’Organe d’examen des politiques commerciales (OEPC) a examiné les politiques et les pratiques commerciales de 21 Membres au cours de 13 réunions. À la fin de 2014, il avait effectué, au total, 405 examens concernant 149 des Membres de l’OMC.
WTO Essay Award for Young Economists
The WTO Essay Award for Young Economists was shared in 2014 by Jonathan Dingel from the United States and Claudia Steinwender from Austria. Dingel’s paper dealt with why higher-income countries export higher-quality goods while Steinwender focused on the impact of the better transmission of market and price information on market efficiency and trade.
Understanding the WTO
There are a number of ways of looking at the World Trade Organization. It is an organization for trade opening. It is a forum for governments to negotiate trade agreements. It is a place for them to settle trade disputes. It operates a system of trade rules. It helps developing countries build their trade capacity. Essentially, the WTO is a place where member governments try to sort out the trade problems they face with each other.
The economics and political economy of international trade cooperation
The rise and decline of free trade in the 19th century and the attendant economic and political consequences of these trends have always intrigued historians and economists. In the difficult times following World War I, when international trade relations had to be rebuilt, the free trade episode among European countries in the second half of the 19th century was perceived as a golden age. During that latter period, widespread economic development, driven by industrialization and technological change, went together with trade expansion supported by a network of bilateral trade treaties. This network started with the Anglo-French (Cobden-Chevalier) treaty of 1860 and triggered a series of other treaties among European countries. Bilaterally agreed reciprocal tariff reductions, together with the application of the unconditional mostfavoured-nation (MFN) clause contained in the treaties, led to historically low tariff levels, in particular for agricultural products. This period of largely unfettered trade across Europe lasted for nearly two decades up to 1879, faltering gradually thereafter and collapsing with World War I.
Cooperation with academic institutions
In 2012, cooperation with academic institutions focused on three main activities: The mid-term review of the WTO Chairs Programme (WCP), the annual meeting of the stakeholders of the WCP and the sponsoring of projects by universities not covered by the WCP. Fifty-four activities were carried out in support of academic institutions from developing and least-developed countries, including lectures, sponsoring of academic projects, regional and national seminars, attendance at academic conferences, study visits to the WTO and the donation of WTO publications to universities.
Budget, finances et administration
En 2010, le Comité du budget, des finances et de l'administration a révisé le budget pour la période biennale 2010–2011 et a examiné les questions relatives au projet de construction, à la diversité du personnel et aux plans de paiements pour les Membres ayant des arriérés de contributions importants.
Trade negotiations and discussions
Changes to the rules of trade require the agreement of WTO members, who must reach a decision through negotiations.
Foreword by the WTO Director-General
Imagine if a government proposed that its poor citizens pay more than its rich citizens for food, clothing and other essentials. Such a proposal would be met with universal outrage. But the fact is that poor countries are in effect paying nearly twice as much as rich countries to bring goods to their markets.
Actividades de investigación económica
En 2011, la División de Estudios Económicos y Estadística de la OMC organizó 61 actividades, muchas de ellas en colaboración con otras instituciones. Cabe mencionar la presentación del Informe sobre el Comercio Mundial 2011, la presentación de una publicación conjunta con la Organización Internacional del Trabajo (OIT) y una serie de seminarios celebrados en el marco del programa de talleres sobre comercio y desarrollo de Ginebra.
Understanding the WTO
There are a number of ways of looking at the World Trade Organization. It is an organization for trade opening. It is a forum for governments to negotiate trade agreements. It is a place for them to settle trade disputes. It operates a system of trade rules. Essentially, the WTO is a place where member governments try to sort out the trade problems they face with each other.