About the WTO
Cuarta Conferencia Ministerial (CM4)
La Cuarta Conferencia Ministerial de la OMC se celebró en Doha (Qatar) del 9 al 14 de noviembre de 2001 y estuvo presidida por el Sr. Youssef Hussain Kamal (Qatar).
Aid for Trade
Aid for Trade financing maintained its upward trend, with the latest available figures – for 2013 – showing an increase in commitments of US$ 1.8 billion compared with the previous year. The Fifth Global Review of Aid for Trade was held on 30 June-2 July with the theme “Reducing trade costs for inclusive, sustainable growth”. In December the Tenth Ministerial Conference recognized the continued need for the WTO-led Aid for Trade initiative, with priority to be given to least-developed countries (LDCs).
World trade in 1997 and in the first half of 1998
Despite the turmoil in world capital markets, the global economy and trade expanded at an outstanding pace in 1997. Both GDP and trade growth were higher in 1997 than at any time in the 1990s. The increasing gap between trade and output growth rates in 1997, together with a further surge in foreign direct investment (FDI), indicate continued integration of national markets into the global economy. Increased integration inevitably means that disturbances in one country or region can have an impact elsewhere – a fact of which the world has become sharply aware in recent months, as financial crises and lower growth in Asia have affected economic conditions in other regions. These developments emphasize the need for careful and well-directed policies, based on adequate international cooperation. Among the policies that are important in reducing contagion and avoiding a downward spiral in the world economy are the maintenance of open markets for trade, the restoration of financial stability and the development of adequate regulatory frameworks in the financial sector.
Foreword by the director-general
The lead-up to this year’s Public Forum, like last year, was marked by sluggish economic growth, high unemployment and a slowdown in world trade. This has been accompanied by political turbulence, rising food prices, the ongoing threat of climate change and calls to resist protectionism.
Closing session
The final session wrapped up the debates held during the three days of the Public Forum and highlighted the main questions raised in relation to each of the core sub-themes.
Relations avec les organisations non gouvernementales
Les organisations non gouvernementales (ONG) ont eu de multiples occasions de participer au débat sur le commerce en 2014. Que ce soit dans le cadre du Forum public, des ateliers régionaux, des séances d’information, de la nouvelle page Web dédiée aux ONG ou du lancement de publications, elles ont pu faire connaître leurs vues sur le commerce et l’OMC et recevoir des informations sur les activités de l’Organisation. Les ONG ont aussi été invitées à assister aux auditions des groupes spéciaux sur le bien-être des animaux et l’étiquetage des produits alimentaires.
Trade facilitation
By end of April 2016, 77 WTO members had ratified the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA), which will come into effect once two-thirds of the WTO membership have done so. The Preparatory Committee on Trade Facilitation received over 70 notifications from WTO members indicating how they will implement the Agreement once it enters into force. A website was launched for the Trade Facilitation Agreement Facility, which helps developing and least-developed countries find the support they need to implement the TFA. The Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation was launched at the Tenth Ministerial Conference.
Trade and environment
In 2009 the Committee on Trade and Environment – meeting in regular session – focused on the impact of environmental measures on market access, especially for developing countries. The committee paid particular attention to win-win-win situations where the elimination or reduction of trade restrictions and distortions would benefit trade, the environment and development. In June 2009 the Secretariats of the WTO and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP ) issued a joint report entitled Trade and Climate Change. During the year the WTO Secretariat organized three regional workshops on trade and environment.
Prix du meilleur article décerné par l’OMC à de jeunes économistes
En 2013, le Prix du meilleur article décerné par l’OMC à de jeunes économistes a été attribué à l’économiste allemand Felix Tintelnot pour son article sur les décisions de localisation et de production des entreprises multinationales. Le jury a en outre attribué une mention spéciale à Benjamin Faber, également de nationalité allemande, pour son article sur le commerce international, le prix de la qualité et l’inégalité.
Contact with the public
The WTO website received just over 20 million visits in 2015. The site was merged with the WTO members’ website to bring all WTO material into one self-contained area. The WTO expanded its use of social media, almost doubling its number of Twitter followers. An average of 356,000 video clips were watched on the WTO website every month, a significant increase on the previous year. The WTO welcomed 223 visiting groups, up from 216 in 2014. Ninety WTO publications were produced, including a variety of titles to mark the WTO’s 20th anniversary.
Accomplishments of the WTO dispute settlement mechanism
The Members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) had remarkably ambitious goals for their newly minted dispute settlement system. In the Marrakesh Declaration of 15 April 1994, Ministers ‘salute[d] the historic achievement’ represented by the conclusion of the Uruguay Round, stating that it would ‘strengthen the world economy and lead to more trade, investment, employment and income growth throughout the world.’ Notably, in that same document, Ministers ‘welcomed’ ‘in particular’ the new dispute settlement system. Ministers underlined ‘the stronger and clearer legal framework they [had] adopted for the conduct of international trade, including a more effective and reliable dispute settlement mechanism.’
The conduct of the Doha Round
The myth of Tantalus speaks to the trials of trade negotiators in the Doha Round, for whom the events since 2001 have been a long series of vexing temptations. The deal has seemed within reach more than once, only to be pulled away cruelly. And like the fruits that stretched out before Tantalus, forever alluring yet always beyond his grasp, nothing has tantalized and frustrated negotiators more than the prospects for liberalized trade in agriculture.
Comment l’OMC est structurée
Au deuxième niveau, il y a le Conseil général (composé normalement des ambassadeurs et des Chefs de délégation en poste à Genève, et parfois de fonctionnaires envoyés par les capitales des pays Membres), qui se réunit plusieurs fois par an au siège de lOrganisation à Genève. Le Conseil général se réunit aussi en tant quOrgane dexamen des politiques commerciales et en tant quOrgane de règlement des différends.
Comercio de servicios
En 2009 la labor del Consejo del Comercio de Servicios cobró un nuevo impulso gracias al examen de las nuevas notas deantecedentes elaboradas por la Secretaría de la OMC sobre los sectores de servicios y los modos de suministro. Las notas pretenden reflejar los acontecimientos más importantes, desde una perspectiva comercial, ocurridos en esferas fundamentales durante el último decenio. Siete de esas notas fueron examinadas en 2009 y otras 13 servirán de base para proseguir las deliberaciones en 2010.
Mensaje del Director General Pascal Lamy
En los albores del comercio, los marineros confiaban en sus conocimientos náuticos, su valentía y su instinto para navegar por aguas turbulentas. Más recientemente, la tecnología ha cambiado la forma de navegar alrededor del mundo, pero sigue siendo absolutamente necesario mantener el rumbo cuando el mar se encrespa.
Trade and environment
In 2011, the Committee on Trade and Environment continued to pay particular attention to the effect of environmental measures on market access, especially in relation to access to developed country markets, and those situations in which the elimination or reduction of trade restrictions and distortions would benefit the environment, development and trade. Discussions also focused on mutual supportiveness between trade and climate change. The WTO Secretariat prepared a submission to the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20), including a set of messages on sustainable development and trade that may be pronounced at the Conference, which will take place in Brazil in June 2012.