Trade monitoring
Message du Directeur général Roberto Azevêdo
L’année 2014 a été cruciale pour l’OMC. Nous avons accompli beaucoup de choses, mais nous avons aussi été confrontés à une épreuve difficile en tant qu’organisation. Après l’explosion de joie à la neuvième Conférence ministérielle à Bali à la fin de 2013, les Membres de l’OMC ont commencé l’année 2014 bien déterminés à mettre en oeuvre les décisions adoptées à Bali, compte tenu de tous les gains que cela apporterait en termes de croissance et de développement dans le monde, et à faire avancer les négociations sur les éléments restants du Programme de Doha pour le développement. Mais le chemin n’a pas été sans obstacles. Le rythme d’avancement des travaux sur certains éléments du paquet de Bali a suscité des préoccupations et, en conséquence, une échéance importante pour la mise en oeuvre a été manquée en juillet.
Preface
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.
Enhanced Integrated Framework
In 2012, the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) – the Aid for Trade programme for least-developed countries (LDCs) – was independently rated as “highly relevant” to the trade and development priorities of LDCs. As a result, the EIF Steering Committee extended the EIF mandate until end-2015, with an additional operational period for project implementation up to 2017. Forty-three countries have so far received assistance, up from 40 at the end of 2011, to build stronger trade institutions and to address trading challenges. The EIF is supported by donor pledges of USD 240 million and contributions of approximately USD 178 million (up from USD 155 million in 2011) as of 31 December 2012.
Marco Integrado mejorado para los PMA
El Marco Integrado mejorado (MIM) para la asistencia relacionada con el comercio en favor de los PM A entró en pleno funcionamiento en 2009. A finales de ese año participaban en el proceso del MIM 47 PM A, y el Fondo Fiduciario del MIM había aumentado hasta alcanzar 90 millones de dólares EE.UU. El amplio apoyo de que goza el MIM quedó de manifiesto en el encuentro ministerial sobre el MIM organizado por el Director General coincidiendo con la Séptima Conferencia Ministerial de la OMC, celebrada en diciembre de 2009.
Preface
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.
Trends in trade policy making
Since 2009 the WTO has been monitoring trade policy trends and developments and has published regular trade monitoring reports. These reports aim to enhance the transparency of trade policy developments and to provide WTO members and observers with an up-to-date picture of overall trends in international trade policymaking as well as the implementation of trade-restrictive measures and tradeliberalizing measures. The monitoring exercise was initiated immediately after the onset of the financial crisis at the end of 2008 and has evolved considerably since then.
Report by Trinidad and Tobago
During the period under review (2012-2018), Trinidad and Tobago was led by two different administrations and hence, two (2) different strategic approaches shaped and influenced macroeconomic policies and activities in the country. These differing approaches are embedded in the Medium Term Policy Framework 2011-2014 (MTPF) developed by the Peoples Partnership (PP) Government in 2011 and the National Development Strategy 2016-2030 (NDS) (hereafter referred to as Vision 2030) developed in 2016 by the currently ruling People’s National Movement (PNM) Government.
Trade, debt and finance
The Working Group on Trade, Debt and Finance continued efforts during its two meetings in 2014 to improve understanding of the links between exchange rates and trade, in particular with a view to strengthening coherence between the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the WTO. WTO members strongly encouraged the WTO Director-General to continue to act by way of diagnosis, advocacy and leadership with partner institutions. At the request of members, a high-level WTO seminar was organized on the challenges of access to trade finance in March 2015.
Actividades de solución de diferencias en 2011
En 2011 se notificaron al Órgano de Solución de Diferencias (OSD) ocho solicitudes formales de celebración de consultas presentadas por Miembros de la OMC en el marco del Entendimiento sobre Solución de Diferencias (ESD), es decir, menos de la mitad que en 2010 (17 solicitudes). Este ha sido el año en que menos solicitudes de este tipo se han recibido en la historia de la OMC, seguido de 2005, en que se recibieron 12. No obstante, aunque el volumen de actividad nueva sea bajo, numerosos asuntos son actualmente objeto de examen en el marco del mecanismo de solución de diferencias. El OSD adoptó ocho informes de grupos especiales y cinco del Órgano de Apelación, entre otros, los relativos al asunto de mayor magnitud que se ha sometido al sistema de solución de diferencias, a saber, el referente a la Unión Europea y Airbus (véase infra).
Report by Cambodia
Cambodia has been classified by the United Nations as a least developed country (LDC). Its population is growing rapidly, and reached roughly 15 million in 2016, 77% of which live in rural areas, while 13.5% live below the poverty line. Cambodia maintains an open economy, and depends heavily on exports as a source of growth of gross domestic product (GDP) and employment. International trade and related investment are thus central to the Government’s efforts to raise the incomes and welfare of Cambodians. The international trading regime managed by the World Trade Organization (WTO), regional trading arrangements centered on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and the various generalized system of preferences (GSP) programs of WTO members, shape the external environment in which Cambodia pursues its development objectives.
Millennium Challenge Account support and port reforms in Benin: A trade facilitation effects analysis
Since 2006, Benin has benefited from the United States Government initiative, the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) programme. In Benin, the main component of this programme is the Access to Markets Project, through which 61 per cent of MCA subsidies are directed towards improving port operations and infrastructures. The aim of this chapter is to assess the potential effects of these trade facilitation reforms over the project period. Based on performance indicators, this chapter shows an increase in goods traffic via the Cotonou Port Authority (CPA) by an average 13.65 per cent annually. The Granger causality test is applied to establish a relationship between aid and the time taken to process import containers, as well as the quantity of imports. The study shows that Aid for Trade (AfT) induces a significant decrease in the time taken for import container processing at CPA, by an average 6.9 per cent annually. An econometric model of importing enables support for these correlations. We estimate the model with and without an MCA grant. Findings highlight an important increase in volume of imports when MCA aid is included in the model. These results show that an MCA grant contributed to improvement in the CPA’s performance and we suggest intensification of trade facilitation reforms at the CPA.
Mensaje del Director General
La promoción de la transparencia en el comercio y las políticas comerciales y la vigilancia de las tendencias de la economía mundial son dos de las principales funciones de la Organización Mundial del Comercio. Al proporcionar información sobre la evolución del comercio y el acceso a los mercados a través de diversas publicaciones y bases de datos en línea, la OMC ofrece a los analistas y los encargados de la formulación de políticas una herramienta exhaustiva para ayudarles a entender y vigilar esa evolución.
Introduction
On 1 January 2008 the multilateral trading system will celebrate its sixtieth anniversary. The World Trade Report 2007 marks the occasion with a retrospective look at what has been learned from those six decades of international trade cooperation. It attempts to identify both what lessons are to be drawn from past experience and the nature of challenges to come. To address these issues, the report adopts an eclectic approach, drawing from the economic literature as well as from economic history, international relations or legal approaches. The objective of the report is to explore the lessons to be learned from the rich history of change and institutional adaptation of the multilateral system.
Cooperation with academic institutions
Members of the WTO’s Chairs Programme presented case studies on how reducing trade costs can boost growth at the Fifth Global Review of Aid for Trade in July and at the Public Forum in October. Chairs arranged a number of workshops and were active in several conferences during 2015. Their annual reports showed that the programme’s objectives are being met. The WTO implemented 12 activities under the Academic Support Programme, which aims to support academic institutions from developing countries that are not part of the Chairs Programme.
La apertura comercial y el contexto socioeconómico más amplio
En la sección C se ha puesto de manifiesto cómo pueden influir en el futuro del comercio factores económicos fundamentales como la demografía, la inversión, la tecnología, los recursos naturales, el transporte y las instituciones. De todos modos, el comercio se desarrolla en un contexto socioeconómico más amplio, un contexto que tiene importancia para el comercio y la política comercial. Históricamente, las preocupaciones sociales y macroeconómicas han influido frecuentemente en las decisiones relativas a las políticas comerciales. En la sección B del informe se presentaron ejemplos de este tipo de situaciones. Ambas cuestiones ocupan actualmente un lugar importante en el plano político y, sin duda, influirán en las opiniones y posiciones de los responsables de la formulación de políticas relativas a la reforma del comercio en el futuro. Un tercer factor guarda relación con las preocupaciones ambientales, que han ido adquiriendo importancia rápidamente en el debate de política a escala nacional, regional y mundial. Este factor también ha estado a menudo vinculado con el comercio, en particular en el contexto de una serie de diferencias destacadas planteadas ante la OMC, en el contexto de los acuerdos comerciales regionales y como un componente del Programa de Doha para el Desarrollo, actualmente en curso.
Secretariat and budget
The WTO Secretariat has over 600 regular staff who coordinate the activities of the WTO. Most of the WTO’s annual budget consists of contributions by its members.
Shifting patterns in trade
This chapter highlights shifting patterns in trade in a variety of sectors brought about by factors such as trade tensions, increasing demand for various products, the impact of digital technology, and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.