Trade monitoring
Mensaje del Director General de la OMC, Roberto Azevêdo
2014 fue un año trascendental para la OMC. Fue mucho lo que logramos, pero también nos vimos enfrentados como Organización a una dura prueba. Tras las escenas de júbilo que presenciamos en la Novena Conferencia Ministerial celebrada en Bali a finales de 2013, los Miembros de la OMC recibieron el año nuevo decididos a aplicar las decisiones adoptadas en Bali, con todos los beneficios que ello supondría en términos de crecimiento y desarrollo en todo el mundo, y a impulsar las negociaciones sobre los elementos restantes del Programa de Doha para el Desarrollo. Sin embargo, el camino no estaba libre de obstáculos. Las preocupaciones expresadas por el diferente ritmo al que estaban avanzando algunos elementos del Paquete de Bali impidieron que en julio se cumpliese un importante plazo para la aplicación.
Secretaría de la OMC
La Secretaría de la OMC, que tiene su sede en Ginebra (Suiza), cuenta con una plantilla de 634 funcionarios incluidos en el presupuesto ordinario y está encabezada por el Director General Roberto Azevêdo, que tomó posesión de su cargo por un período de cuatro años el 1º de septiembre de 2013. El 1º de octubre de 2013 iniciaron sus mandatos los cuatro Directores Generales Adjuntos: Yonov Frederick Agah de Nigeria, Karl Brauner de Alemania, David Shark de los Estados Unidos y Yi Xiaozhun de China (véase el gráfico 1). La Secretaría no tiene facultades decisorias, ya que son los Miembros los que adoptan todas las decisiones en la OMC.
Specific notes for selected economies
Beginning with the 2002 report, EU data compiled according to national statistical practices have been replaced, starting 1993, with data compiled by Eurostat in accordance with EU legislation. The concepts and definitions adopted by the EU are in line with the United Nations’ International Trade Statistics, Concepts and Definitions, Series M, N° 52, Revision 2. As a result, the conceptual differences between EU member states’ data have been substantially reduced. Moreover, for the EU as a whole, Eurostat data are more timely than the previous source, thus reducing substantially the amount of estimation included in the EU aggregate.
Executive summary
This year’s World Trade Report ventures beyond tariffs to examine other policy measures that can affect trade. As tariffs have fallen in the years since the birth of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) in 1948, attention has progressively shifted towards non-tariff measures (NTMs). The range of NTMs is vast, complex, driven by multiple policy motives, and ever-changing. Public policy objectives underlying NTMs have evolved. The drivers of change are many, including greater interdependency in a globalizing world, increased social awareness, and growing concerns regarding health, safety, and environmental quality. Many of these factors call for a deepening of integration, wresting attention away from more traditional and shallower forms of cooperation. Trade in services is a part of this development and has come under greater scrutiny, along with the policies that influence services trade.
Una organización universal
En 2012 se adhirieron a la OMC cuatro países: Montenegro, Rusia, Samoa y Vanuatu. A principios de 2013, el número de Miembros se amplió a 159 tras la adhesión de Laos y Tayikistán (véase la página 10). Los Miembros de la OMC representan el 97 por ciento del comercio mundial.
Technical cooperation and training
The Institute for Training and Technical Cooperation (ITTC) strengthened both content and delivery of WTO technical assistance and training programmes in 2012, reinforced its capacity to interact with beneficiaries in all regions and bolstered its coordinating role for trade capacity building. The WTO undertook 343 technical assistance activities in 2012, the vast majority aimed at government officials. Resultsbased management was further consolidated in the design, management, delivery and evaluation of capacity-building programmes.
Communication avec les parlementaires
En 2012, la Conférence parlementaire annuelle sur l’OMC, organisée par l’Union interparlementaire (UIP) et le Parlement européen, s’est déroulée à l’OMC. Le Secrétariat de l’OMC a continué à distribuer sa lettre d’information périodique à un nombre croissant de parlementaires. L’OMC a également organisé deux ateliers régionaux à l’intention des parlementaires en coopération avec des partenaires régionaux et internationaux.
The economics of standards and trade
We live in a world profoundly reliant on product standards. Faxes can be sent around the world because fax machines obey a common protocol. Computer files can be shared because computers employ various standardized hardware and software formats. The need for product standards is not a new phenomenon. In biblical times, the lack of a common (standardized) language wreaked havoc at the Tower of Babel (Shapiro, 2000). In more recent times, during the great Baltimore fire of 1904, fire fighters called in from neighbouring cities were unable to fight the blaze effectively because their hoses would not fit the hydrants in Baltimore.
Foreword
The World Trade Report 2005 follows the pattern established in previous years and takes up a number of key trade policy issues facing the international trading system for analysis and discussion. The underlying objective of the Report is to contribute to a deeper understanding of trade policy issues facing governments. The core topic in this year’s report is standards and international trade. Shorter essays have been prepared on three other topics – the use of quantitative economic analysis in WTO dispute settlement, international trade in air transport services, and offshoring services.
Comprendre Les Statistiques du commerce international
Le Secrétariat de l’OMC et son prédécesseur l’Accord général sur les tarifs douaniers et le commerce (GATT) ont produit des statistiques sur les échanges dès la création du secrétariat du GATT, en janvier 1948. Ces données ont été publiées régulièrement, dans les rapports annuels, dont la conception et le contenu ont évolué au fil des ans pour répondre aux besoins nouveaux des utilisateurs
Report by Iceland
Iceland submits this statement as part of Iceland’s fifth Trade Policy Review.
Government Procurement Agreement
Further progress was achieved in 2012 on pending accessions to the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA), including those of China and New Zealand. In addition, the Committee on Government Procurement, which administers the GPA, monitored the entry into force of the revised Agreement adopted by the parties in 2012. Four more countries were granted observer status. Demand for technical training on the GPA continues to grow, reflecting increased interest in accession.
Conseil Général
En 2012, le Conseil général est convenu que la neuvième Conférence ministérielle se tiendrait à Bali (Indonésie). Il a supervisé les progrès accomplis dans les négociations du Cycle de Doha sur la base des rapports établis par le Directeur général en sa qualité de Président du Comité des négociations commerciales. Il a entendu le rapport annuel du Directeur général sur les accessions et son rapport sur les aspects de la question du coton relatifs à l’aide au développement. En juillet, il a adopté des recommandations sur l’accession des pays les moins avancés (PMA), conformément aux instructions données par la huitième Conférence ministérielle. Il a également examiné les progrès accomplis dans le cadre du Programme de travail sur le commerce électronique.