About the WTO
Examens des politiques commerciales
En 2016, l’Organe d’examen des politiques commerciales (OEPC) a examiné les politiques et pratiques commerciales de 23 Membres de l’OMC. Depuis sa création en 1989 jusqu’à la fin de 2016, il a procédé à 452 examens visant 153 des 164 Membres de l’OMC. En 2016, les Membres sont convenus d’apporter de nouvelles modifications au Mécanisme d’examen des politiques commerciales, notamment d’ajuster la fréquence des examens.
Actividades de divulgación para parlamentarios
En 2011 se celebró por primera vez en la OMC la Conferencia Parlamentaria anual sobre la OMC, organizada por la Unión Interparlamentaria y el Parlamento Europeo. La Secretaría de la OMC siguió distribuyendo su boletín periódico a un número cada vez mayor de parlamentarios. También organizó dos talleres regionales para parlamentarios en cooperación con asociados regionales.
Trade facilitation
A major milestone for the global trading system was reached on 22 February 2017. The first multilateral trade deal concluded in the 21-year history of the WTO entered into force when the WTO obtained the necessary number of acceptances from the WTO’s 164 members for the Trade Facilitation Agreement to take effect.
Agricultural issues in the Doha Development Agenda negotiations
Agricultural negotiations in the World Trade Organization (WTO) began in 2000, before the launch of the Doha Development Agenda. Together with the negotiations in the services sector, the agricultural negotiations were part of the ‘built-in agenda’ agreed in the Uruguay Round. Agriculture is the key to making progress in the Doha Development Agenda, or it may lead to its unravelling. Without movement in the agricultural negotiations, movement in the other areas will be unlikely.
Budget, finances et administration
Le Comité du budget, des finances et de l’administration a examiné les rapports sur la situation financière et budgétaire de l’OMC et poursuivi sa discussion concernant l’examen stratégique de l’Organisation qui a été lancé en 2013. Un Bureau du contrôle interne (BCIn) a été établi en novembre.
Outside looking in, after many years on the inside looking out
Like many of the other authors in this book, I would like to offer some personal reflections about the role of lawyers and the rule of law in the WTO dispute settlement system. In my particular case, these reflections are provided from the perspective of someone now engaged in the private practice of what has come to be known as ‘WTO law’.
Dispute settlement
WTO members bring disputes to the WTO if they think their rights under trade agreements are being infringed. Settling disputes is the responsibility of the Dispute Settlement Body.
Secretaría de la OMC
La Secretaría de la OMC, que tiene sus oficinas en Ginebra, cuenta con una plantilla de 640 funcionarios incluidos en el presupuesto ordinario, y está encabezada por el Director General Pascal Lamy. Dado que son los Miembros de la OMC los que adoptan las decisiones, la Secretaría no tiene facultades decisorias. Sus principales cometidos son ofrecer apoyo técnico y profesional a los distintos consejos y comités, prestar asistencia técnica a los países en desarrollo, vigilar y analizar la evolución del comercio mundial, facilitar información al público y a los medios de comunicación y organizar las conferencias ministeriales. Además, la Secretaría presta algunas formas de asistencia jurídica en los procedimientos de solución de diferencias y asesora a los gobiernos que desean adherirse a la OMC
Organization, secretariat and budget
The World Trade Organization came into being in 1995, as the successor to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), which had been established (1947) in the wake of the Second World War. The WTO’s main objective is the establishment of rules for Members’ trade policy which help international trade to expand with a view to raising living standards. These rules foster non-discrimination, transparency and predictability in the conduct of trade policy.
Ayuda para el Comercio
En 2010, la labor del CCD en este ámbito se centró en la ejecución del Programa de Trabajo sobre la Ayuda para el Comercio correspondiente a 2010-2011, con la participación de un gran número de asociados y organizaciones. La OMC y la OCDE también comenzaron los preparativos del Tercer Examen Global de la Ayuda para el Comercio, previsto para julio de 2011.
Regional trade agreements
In 2011, the WTO received 25 new notifications, little change on the previous year, involving 15 regional trade agreements (RTAs). Slightly more than half the new RTAs were between developed and developing partners, extending a trend that has emerged in recent years. The Americas was the region with the highest number – eight.
Premio OMC de Ensayo para Jóvenes Economistas
Los galardonados en la séptima edición del Premio OMC de Ensayo para Jóvenes Economistas fueron Christoph Boehm, Aaron Flaaen y Nitya Pandalai-Nayar por su artículo conjunto sobre el papel que desempeñan las cadenas de suministro mundiales en la transmisión de choques de un país a otro. Los ganadores compartieron el premio, dotado con 5.000 francos suizos. El resultado del concurso se anunció el 10 de septiembre de 2015 en la Conferencia Anual del European Trade Study Group, celebrada en París.
Origins
The World Trade Organization (WTO) was established in 1995, replacing the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) which had been set up over 40 years earlier to oversee the rules of trade. The aim of the WTO is to ensure that trade flows as smoothly, predictably and freely as possible. Whereas the GATT only dealt with trade in goods, the WTO covers trade in goods and services as well as trade-related intellectual property rights. It also oversees strengthened rules for the settlement of disputes between members.
WTO Essay Award for Young Economists
The WTO Essay Award for Young Economists was shared in 2011 by a Brazilian and an American. Economists Rafael Dix-Carneiro, a Brazilian who is based in the United States, and Kyle Handley were chosen by the Academic Selection Panel for articles on trade and labour markets and on trade policy uncertainty. They share the prize money.
Streamlining South Africa’s export development efforts in sub-Saharan Africa: A Decision Support Model approach
Given its abundant natural resources and accelerating consumer-driven growth, sub-Saharan Africa has much to offer investors and traders. Yet the region remains weakly integrated into global and regional value chains, due to, among other things, geographical disadvantages, infrastructural shortcomings, high transport costs and difficult-to-access market intelligence – all of which add to the cost of trade. While not an insignificant player in international business and trade circles, South Africa is facing shrinking demand in its traditional export markets and has to plot a new economic course after decades of overreliance on commodity exports and value-added imports. This chapter looks at how a market selection tool, the Decision Support Model (DSM), can streamline the process of identifying export opportunities, particularly at an intra-regional level. Covering both products and services, and adaptable to different countries’ circumstances, the DSM simplifies market selection decisions by pinpointing both short- and longer-term business opportunities in high-potential sectors, while also exposing market access barriers that could become the focus of specific efficiency-enhancing interventions. In this way, the DSM can be a valuable aid to trade facilitation.