Trade monitoring
Trade negotiations and discussions
Changes to the rules of trade require the agreement of WTO members, who must reach a decision through negotiations.
Introduction
The overall objective of the WTO is to help its members use trade as a means to raise living standards, create jobs and improve people’s lives. The WTO operates the global system of trade rules and helps developing countries build their trade capacity. It also provides a forum for its members to negotiate trade agreements and to resolve the trade problems they face with each other.
Secretariat and budget
The WTO Secretariat has over 600 regular staff and coordinates the activities of the WTO. Most of the WTO’s annual budget consists of contributions by its members.
Outreach
The WTO maintains regular dialogue with the business community, non-governmental organizations, parliamentarians, other international organizations, the media and the general public to enhance cooperation and raise awareness of trade issues.
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.
12th Ministerial Conference – a snapshot
The 12th Ministerial Conference took place from 12 to 17 June 2021 at the WTO’s headquarters in Geneva. It was originally scheduled to take place in December 2022 but was postponed due to the pandemic.
Implementation and monitoring
Various WTO councils and committees seek to ensure that WTO agreements are being properly implemented. All WTO members undergo periodic scrutiny of their trade policies and practices.
Supporting development and building trade capacity
The WTO aims to help developing countries build their trade capacity and allows them a longer time to implement trade agreements. Hundreds of training courses are organized each year for officials from developing countries.
Membership
The WTO currently has 164 members. The accession process for new members promotes their integration into the global economy.
Foreword
This report is published in the context of the joint OECD-WTO Aid for Trade Monitoring and Evaluation exercise, which underpins the WTO’s 8th Global Review of Aid for Trade on “Empowering Connected, Sustainable Trade” (July 2022). This is the eighth volume of the Aid for Trade at a Glance series.
Executive summary
The 2022 Aid for Trade Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) exercise takes place amidst crises of unprecedented magnitude, significantly affecting trade and investment. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused severe human and economic losses, slowing down and in some cases reversing hard won progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Countries lacking the capacity to implement large monetary and fiscal stimuli were hit hard, experiencing widening inequalities. While 2021 showed signs of a swift recovery, in early 2022 Russia’s war against Ukraine created a major humanitarian crisis and derailed economic growth prospects. Spikes in the price of energy and food caused by the war, combined with rapidly rising inflation, are posing serious food security risks in low-income countries (LICs).
Statistical note
According to the WTO Task Force on Aid for Trade, projects and programmes are part of aid for trade if these activities have been identified as trade related development priorities in the partner country’s national development strategies.
Explanatory note
The aid-for-trade country profiles provide factual information aid-for-trade financing flows, trade costs, trade performance and key development indicators at the country level. The aim is to compare a performance in these four categories for the year 2020 as compared to 2006, the year of the inception of the aid-for-trade initiative, and against country group benchmarks for these selected indicators. The aim of the country profiles is to stimulate debate on aid-for-trade effectiveness.
Introducción
Los nuevos Perfiles comerciales contienen información detallada sobre las corrientes del comercio de mercancías, incluidos los principales productos con que comercia cada economía, una sección más amplia sobre el comercio de servicios comerciales y estadísticas sobre propiedad intelectual. Esta información, que está a disposición de los Miembros de la OMC, los observadores ante la Organización y otras economías determinadas, proviene de múltiples fuentes, como las estadísticas aduaneras, las cuentas nacionales, las estadísticas sobre la balanza de pagos, el comercio de servicios de filiales extranjeras y la propiedad industrial. Los datos se han obtenido de la Secretaría de la OMC y de fuentes externas. Se presentan en un formato normalizado y fácil de visualizar, para su rápida consulta.
Introduction
Les nouveaux Profils commerciaux contiennent des renseignements détaillés sur le commerce des marchandises, y compris les principaux produits échangés par chaque économie, une section élargie sur le commerce des services commerciaux et des statistiques sur la propriété intellectuelle. Ces renseignements, mis à la disposition des Membres de l’OMC, des pays ayant le statut d’observateur et de certaines autres économies, proviennent de multiples domaines tels que les statistiques douanières, les comptes nationaux, les statistiques de la balance des paiements, les statistiques du commerce des filiales étrangères (FATS) et les statistiques de la propriété industrielle. Les données proviennent du Secrétariat de l’OMC et de sources extérieures, et elles sont présentées de manière uniformisée et fonctionnelle pour pouvoir être consultées rapidement.
Trade negotiations and discussions
Changes to the rules of trade require the agreement of WTO members, who must reach a decision through negotiations.
12th Ministerial Conference – a snapshot
The 12th Ministerial Conference took place from 12 to 17 June 2022 at the WTO’s headquarters in Geneva. It was originally scheduled to take place in December 2021 but was postponed due to the pandemic.
Membership
The WTO currently has 164 members. The accession process for new members promotes their integration into the global economy.
Supporting development and building trade capacity
The WTO aims to help developing countries build their trade capacity and allows them a longer time to implement trade agreements. Hundreds of training courses are organized each year for officials from developing countries.
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.
Implementation and monitoring
Various WTO councils and committees seek to ensure that WTO agreements are being properly implemented. All WTO members undergo periodic scrutiny of their trade policies and practices.
Proyección exterior
La OMC mantiene un diálogo regular con la comunidad empresarial, las organizaciones no gubernamentales, los parlamentarios, otras organizaciones internacionales, los medios de comunicación y el público en general, con el fin de aumentar la cooperación y dar a conocer mejor las cuestiones comerciales.
Communication
L’OMC entretient un dialogue régulier avec les milieux d’affaires, les organisations non gouvernementales, les parlementaires, les autres organisations internationales, les médias et le grand public pour renforcer la coopération et faire mieux connaître les questions commerciales.
Introducción
El objetivo general de la OMC es ayudar a sus Miembros a utilizar el comercio como medio para elevar los niveles de vida, crear empleo y mejorar la vida de las personas. La OMC administra el sistema mundial de normas comerciales y ayuda a los países en desarrollo a crear capacidad comercial. Asimismo, constituye un foro al que acuden sus Miembros para negociar acuerdos sobre comercio y resolver los problemas comerciales que tienen unos con otros.
Aplicación y vigilancia
Los distintos consejos y comités de la OMC velan por que los Acuerdos de la OMC se apliquen de manera adecuada. Todos los Miembros de la OMC se someten periódicamente a un examen de sus políticas y prácticas comerciales.
Négociations et discussions commerciales
Les règles commerciales ne peuvent pas être modifiées sans l’accord des Membres de l’OMC, qui doivent parvenir à un consensus par la voie de négociations.