Trade monitoring
Introduction
The Trade Policy Review Mechanism (TPRM) was first established on a trial basis by the GATT contracting parties in April 1989. The Mechanism became a permanent feature of the World Trade Organization under the Marrakesh Agreement which established the WTO in January 1995.
Report by El Salvador
Since its last trade policy review, EI Salvador has made considerable progress on the economic front and has continued to consolidate its strategy of appropriate integration in international trade through active participation in the trade negotiation processes and through policies aimed at attracting foreign direct investment.
Causes and effects of PTAs: Is it all about preferences?
A vast literature in economics and political science focuses on the causes and effects of preferential trade agreements – and in particular on the way that border measures, such as tariffs, impact trade flows among countries both inside and outside such agreements. Often referred to as the “standard analysis of preferential trade agreements”, this literature is discussed in detail in Sections C.1 and C.2. However, many recent regional agreements have moved beyond border measures to include deeper forms of rules and institutions that can only be partly understood by the standard analysis of preferential trade. An examination of the economic motives – and the key issues – that lie behind these deeper integration agreements is discussed in Section C.3.
Acuerdo sobre Tecnología de la Información
El 16 de diciembre de 2015, en la Décima Conferencia Ministerial, celebrada en Nairobi, los participantes en las negociaciones relativas a la ampliación del Acuerdo sobre Tecnología de la Información (ATI) llegaron a un acuerdo histórico por el cual se liberaliza el comercio de otros 201 productos de alta tecnología, cuyo valor anual se estima en 1,3 billones de dólares EE.UU., lo que corresponde a cerca del 10% del comercio mundial de mercancías. Este es el primer acuerdo importante de reducción arancelaria alcanzado en la OMC desde 1996.
Journée portes ouvertes de l’OMC
Plus de 3 000 visiteurs ont participé à la cinquième Journée portes ouvertes de l’OMC le 14 juin. Organisée sur le thème « Merci Genève » dans le cadre des activités marquant le 20e anniversaire de l’OMC, cette journée a été l’occasion pour l’OMC de remercier la population genevoise d’accueillir l’Organisation depuis sa création en 1995.
Foreword
Services are often largely overlooked in discussions on global trade, yet they account for the majority of trade in many developed economies and are growing rapidly in many developing economies as well. This is perhaps because services are less tangible and the issues surrounding services trade are often more complex. This report therefore sets out to demystify trade in services. It aims to shed new light on this essential part of global trade, provide a detailed picture of trade in services today and consider how it might evolve in the coming years, particularly as new technologies make some services increasingly tradeable.
Remarques finales formulées par le President de l’Organe d’Examen des politiques commerciales, S.E. M. Eloi Laourou du Bénin lors de l’Examen de la politique commerciale de la Mauritanie les 29 et 31 mai 2018
Ce second examen conjoint de la Guinée et de la Mauritanie, le quatrième pour la Guinée et le troisième pour la Mauritanie, nous a permis d’évaluer les changements dans leurs politiques et pratiques commerciales, et leurs effets sur leurs économies depuis 2011. Nos discussions ont bénéficié de la participation de S.E. Mme Naha Mint Hamdi Ould Mouknass, Ministre du commerce, de l’industrie et du tourisme, cheffe de la délégation de la Mauritanie, et de Mme Fanta Cisse, Secrétaire générale du Ministère du commerce, cheffe de la délégation de la Guinée. Je suis également reconnaissant à S.E. M. Alberto Sanz, pour sa contribution en tant que présentateur, et aux Membres pour leur engagement dans cet examen.
Acknowledgements
This publication has been prepared under the general direction of Hubert Escaith, Chief Statistician. Andreas Maurer was responsible for the coordination of the statistical report, and Vuddha Meach supervised the overall table, chart and map production, with the assistance of Jonathan Enrique Ford, Xuexue Luo and Ying Yan. The statistical research and data compilation were conducted by Barbara d’Andrea-Adrian, Christophe Degain, Joscelyn Magdeleine, Yann Marcus, Coleman Nee, Ninez Piezas-Jerbi and Bekele Tamenu.
Developing economies
Developing economies recorded a 14 per cent decrease in merchandise exports in value terms and a 13 per cent decrease in imports in 2015. Latin America, the Middle East and Africa continued to be negatively affected by the decline in the prices of fuel and other commodities. Developing countries in Europe and Asia, which recorded positive but slowing growth in exports in 2013 and 2014, registered declines in 2015. As a result, developing economies’ participation in world merchandise trade showed little change in 2015. Their share in exports declined very slightly to 43 per cent while their share in imports remained at 41 per cent.
The world economy and trade in 2014 and early 2015
World trade growth remained modest in the opening months of 2015 following three years of weak expansion. Annual increases in merchandise trade in volume terms were very small in that period, measuring just 2.5 per cent in 2014, 2.5 per cent in 2013, and 2.2 per cent in 2012. The exports of developing and emerging economies grew faster than those of developed countries in 2014, 3.1 per cent in the former and 2.0 per cent per cent in the latter. Meanwhile, imports of developing countries grew more slowly than those of developed economies, 1.8 per cent compared to 2.9 per cent. Seasonally adjusted quarterly trade volume indices for the first quarter of 2015 showed import demand accelerating in developed economies but slowing in developing countries.
Actividades de la OMC
El presente informe anual es un puente tendido hacia una nueva serie que se basará en años civiles. En este capítulo se exponen las principales actividades llevadas a cabo por la OMC desde el 1o de agosto hasta el 31 de diciembre de 1999.
Activités d'information du public
En 2010, la Division de l'information et des relations extérieures a continué à avoir des contacts réguliers avec les journalistes, à Genève et dans le monde entier. Elle a organisé 36 séances d'information à Genève.
Relations avec les organisations non gouvernementales
Les organisations non gouvernementales (ONG) ont reçu régulièrement des informations sur les activités de l’OMC en 2016, y compris des informations sur les négociations commerciales et d’autres questions. Elles ont participé activement au Forum public, principale activité de communication de l’OMC avec les ONG.
Actividades de la OMC
La Organización Mundial del Comercio (OMC) es el pilar jurídico e institucional del sistema multilateral de comercio. Establece las principales obligaciones contractuales que determinan cómo los gobiernos dan forma a las leyes y reglamentos nacionales en materia de comercio y los aplican. Además sirve de plataforma para el desarrollo de las relaciones comerciales entre los países mediante debates, negociaciones y decisiones colectivos.
Report by the United States
As an original member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), the United States maintains an abiding commitment to the rules-based multilateral trading system. The WTO represents the multilateral bedrock of U.S. trade policy, playing a vital role in securing new economic opportunities for American workers, farmers, ranchers, manufacturers, and service providers and promoting global growth and development with widely shared benefits. The WTO agreements also provide a foundation for high-standard U.S. bilateral and regional agreements that make a positive contribution to a dynamic and open global trading system based on the rule of law.