A propos de l’OMC
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¿Qué relación existe entre el comercio y el medio ambiente?
La economía mundial ha cambiado profundamente en los últimos decenios, pues la población ha registrado un acusado incremento y los ingresos medios prácticamente se han triplicado desde 1960. Durante este período el grado de integración de nuestras economías ha aumentado, gracias a los avances en las tecnologías de la información y las comunicaciones y a la reducción de los obstáculos al comercio y la inversión mundiales.
Examens des politiques commerciales
En 2010, l'Organe d'examen des politiques commerciales (OEPC) a procédé à l'examen de 17 Membres de l'OMC : Malaisie, El Salvador, Croatie, Arménie, Albanie, République populaire de Chine, Malawi, Territoire douanier distinct de Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen et Matsu (Taipei chinois), Gambie, Honduras, États-Unis, Bénin, Burkina Faso, Mali, Sri Lanka, Belize, Papouasie-Nouvelle- Guinée, République démocratique du Congo et Hong Kong, Chine. Les remarques finales du Président relatives à ces examens sont reproduites ci-après.
20 years of the WTO
The WTO began life on 1 January 1995, succeeding the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade which had regulated world trade since 1948. Over the past 20 years, the WTO has made a major contribution to the strength and stability of the global economy, helping to boost trade growth, resolve numerous trade disputes and support the integration of developing countries into the trading system.
General Council
In 2010 the General Council continued to oversee the progress of the Doha Round negotiations on the basis of reports from the Director-General in his capacity as Chair of the Trade Negotiations Committee. The General Council also reviewed the various accession negotiations, and heard a report by the Director-General on the development assistance aspects of cotton and a review of progress by Deputy Director-General Harsha Singh on the work programme on electronic commerce. In addition, regular reports were received from the Committee on Trade and Development on small economies. Some of the other matters considered by the General Council in 2010 are listed below.
Trade, debt and finance
Senior WTO officials continued to work with multilateral development banks to facilitate the provision of trade finance, particularly for developing countries. A decision by the Basel Committee to modify leverage rules in order to support trade was hailed by Director-General Roberto Azevêdo as “good news for developing countries”. The WTO Working Group on Trade, Debt and Finance continued its examination of the relationship between exchange rates and trade.
Contact with the business community
The WTO’s annual Public Forum attracted a significant increase in business representatives in 2015, showing the strong interest of business groups and companies in contributing to the debate about WTO activities. The business community was also well-represented at the Tenth Ministerial Conference in Nairobi. Twenty-three of the non-governmental organizations accredited for the event were business organizations.
Asuntos presupuestarios, financieros y administrativos
En 2012 finalizaron las obras de construcción del anexo de la sede de la OMC en Ginebra, con lo que por primera vez todos los funcionarios están reunidos bajo un mismo techo. El Comité de Asuntos Presupuestarios, Financieros y Administrativos examinó periódicamente la situación presupuestaria y financiera de la Organización, los atrasos en el pago de contribuciones de los Miembros y observadores, la gestión de los recursos humanos y el Plan de Pensiones de la OMC.
Trade and development
In 2012, the Committee on Trade and Development (CTD) pressed ahead with implementing the work programme on electronic commerce. Other issues discussed by the CTD and its Sub-Committee on Least-Developed Countries (LDCs) included accelerating and easing LDC accessions, capacity-building initiatives, market access for LDCs and technical assistance.
Accession à l’OMC
Les Seychelles et le Kazakhstan sont devenus respectivement le 161e et le 162e Membre de l’OMC en 2015. En décembre, la dixième Conférence ministérielle a approuvé l’ensemble des textes relatifs à l’accession à l’OMC du Libéria et de l’Afghanistan, qui deviendront Membres après avoir ratifié leurs protocoles d’accession. Avec ces nouvelles accessions, l’OMC se rapproche de son objectif d’universalité, les Membres actuels représentant 98 % du commerce mondial.
Foro Público de 2016
El Foro Público de 2016 – el principal evento de proyección pública de la OMC – se centró en cómo conseguir que el comercio sea más inclusivo para que se repartan más ampliamente los beneficios del comercio. Los participantes analizaron cómo podía ayudar la OMC a las pequeñas y medianas empresas (pymes) a obtener un mejor acceso al mercado mundial, e intercambiaron ideas sobre el papel de las nuevas tecnologías, la innovación digital y el comercio electrónico. En el Foro se debatió también cómo pueden las mujeres participar más plenamente en el comercio internacional y beneficiarse más del comercio mundial. Durante la reunión, de tres días de duración, se presentaron el Informe sobre el comercio mundial de la OMC y otras tres publicaciones.
Closing session
The Closing Session looked back on what was discussed during the 2012 Public Forum and the guidance provided to respond to the challenges the WTO and multilateralism in general are facing. The panel looked ahead and tried to identify common ground among the many issues and concerns raised over the three days. Each panellist – from his or her own unique perspective and experience – tackled the main theme of this year’s Public Forum. Ultimately, they were challenged to provide answers. They were also asked about what they thought was needed to address some of the current global problems and whether or not the 2012 Public Forum helped formulate responses and possible solutions.
Dispute settlement – clarifying rules and resolving disputes
One of the most important features of the WTO – and a major result of the Uruguay Round – is its strengthened dispute settlement system. Settling disputes has always been a core function of the multilateral trading system, but the WTO's Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) represents a significant improvement over the GATT's approach in several important respects. Above all, the system is more efficient – this is an acknowledgement of the importance of prompt dispute settlement to an effective and smooth functioning WTO. Whereas GATT disputes had no fixed timetables, the WTO instituted a more structured process with clearly defined stages and deadlines. As a result, the WTO has one of, if not the, fastest international dispute settlement mechanisms. At the panel stage, most cases are completed in about 14 months; and Appellate Body reports are, with very few exceptions, issued in no more than three months.
Doha Development Agenda
At the Fourth Ministerial Conference in Doha, Qatar, in November 2001, WTO member governments agreed to launch new trade negotiations. They also agreed to work on other issues, in particular the implementation of the current WTO agreements. The entire package is called the Doha Development Agenda (DDA ). The negotiations take place in the Trade Negotiations Committee (TNC) and its subsidiaries, which are usually regular councils and committees meeting in ‘special session’ or specially created negotiating groups. The Chairs of the nine negotiating bodies report to the TNC, chaired by the WTO Director-General, which coordinates their work.
Comercio de mercancías
En las reuniones del Consejo del Comercio de Mercancías, los Miembros de la OMC abordaron numerosas preocupaciones comerciales, con inclusión de las medidas, políticas y prácticas consideradas potencialmente discriminatorias o restrictivas del comercio. Algunas de estas preocupaciones ya se habían planteado con anterioridad. El Consejo examinó asimismo una serie de solicitudes de exención y tomó nota de una lista actualizada y completa de las notificaciones presentadas por los Miembros de conformidad con el Anexo 1A del Acuerdo sobre la OMC. El Gabón anunció la conclusión de la renegociación de sus concesiones arancelarias.
Accession à l’OMC
Le Libéria et l’Afghanistan sont devenus les 163ème et 164ème Membres de l’OMC en 2016. Les Membres sont convenus d’entamer les négociations en vue de l’accession de la République fédérale de Somalie et de la République démocratique du Timor-Leste et de les accueillir en tant qu’observateurs auprès de l’OMC. Les Comores ont engagé les négociations en vue de leur accession, alors que les Groupes de travail chargés de l’accession du Bélarus et du Soudan ont repris leurs travaux après 12 et 13 ans d’interruption, respectivement.
Looking forward
At a time when the global economy is more interconnected than ever, it is difficult to imagine a world without the WTO. By establishing global trade rules, monitoring adherence to those rules and helping to resolve disputes between nations, the WTO plays a crucial role in global governance. Moreover, the WTO has an important role to play in helping developing countries integrate into the global trading system. In the coming years, this will remain a priority for the WTO.
La conception des accords commerciaux internationaux
Dans la section B, nous avons examiné diverses raisons pour lesquelles les nations peuvent avoir intérêt à coopérer dans le domaine commercial. Dans la présente section, nous allons élargir l’analyse pour examiner des aspects fondamentaux de la conception des traités, en mettant l’accent sur deux questions principales. Premièrement, quelles sont les règles fondamentales que doit contenir un accord commercial pour que la coopération procure les avantages escomptés ? Deuxièmement, en quoi la création d’une organisation, ou institution, formelle peut-elle assurer l’efficacité des règles et promouvoir les objectifs de l’accord ?
Commerce des services
En 2009, les travaux du Conseil du commerce des services ont été réactivés avec l'examen de plusieurs secteurs de services et modes de fourniture, sur la base de nouvelles notes d'information établies par le Secrétariat de l'OMC . Ces notes rendent compte des faits nouveaux les plus pertinents, du point de vue du commerce, qui sont intervenus dans des domaines clés au cours de la dernière décennie. Sept d'entre elles ont été examinées en 2009, et 13 autres serviront de base pour la poursuite des discussions en 2010.
Trade policy reviews
During 2009 the Trade Policy Review Body (TPR B) reviewed 21 WTO members: Guatemala, Japan, Brazil, Fiji, the 27-member European Union, Mozambique, Solomon Islands, New Zealand, Morocco, Guyana, Zambia, Chile, the Maldives, the members of the S outhern African Customs Union (Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa and Swaziland), Niger and Senegal (joint review), and G eorgia. The Chair’s concluding remarks for these reviews are reproduced below.