Trade monitoring
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.
Prospects for multilateral trade cooperation
This section explores the relevance of current trade rules – as well as the need for new approaches to trade cooperation – in light of the forces that are currently re-shaping international trade. It suggests that the multilateral trading system will need to adjust to developments in trade and in the trading environment – as it has done repeatedly in the past – and reviews proposals for updating the WTO’s agenda and governance. The section starts with a short overview of key trade developments within the broader socio-economic context – especially the rise of global supply chains, the general shift of trade power away from the West and towards Asia and other emerging economies, as well as the changing nature, composition and direction of trade. It then highlights some of the main challenges facing the WTO and how they could be addressed.
Message du Directeur général de l’OMC, M. Pascal Lamy
Quand le commerce en était encore à ses débuts, les marins se fiaient à la fois à leur connaissance de la navigation, à leur courage et à leur instinct pour se frayer un passage à travers les eaux tumultueuses. Plus tard, la technologie a transformé la navigation autour du globe, mais la nécessité fondamentale de tenir le cap sur une mer déchaînée n’a pas changé.
Comercio y desarrollo
En la Conferencia Ministerial de Bali, los Ministros convinieron en establecer un Mecanismo de Vigilancia para analizar la aplicación de las disposiciones sobre trato especial y diferenciado para los países en desarrollo que figuran en los Acuerdos de la OMC.
Évolution de la politique commerciale
Depuis le dernier rapport annuel de l’OMC, la situation du commerce et, partant, les conditions d’élaboration de la politique commerciale, sont devenues beaucoup plus difficiles. Les effets de la crise financière et économique touchant les marchés émergents et de la récession économique au Japon sont loin d’avoir été pleinement surmontés et influent sur la répartition de la croissance économique mondiale, ainsi que sur les courants d’échanges et les marchés des produits de base (chapitreII). Toutefois, bien que l’on ait ici ou là fait marche arrière dans la libéralisation du commerce, le système commercial multilatéral – pour autant que le montre l’évolution des politiques commerciales – semblait, en septembre 1998, avoir assez bien résisté aux soubresauts des marchés financiers et commerciaux.
Labour market outcomes: Trends and analytical framework
This section aims to put the discussion of the labour market effects of trade and technology into perspective. A narrow focus on these effects may give the misleading impression that trade and/or technology are the main determinants of employment or wages. As explained in this section, however, levels of employment or unemployment and of wages are largely determined by how the labour market works. In other words, the effects of technology or trade on labour market outcomes depend, to a large extent, on institutional conditions in the labour market, concomitant economic changes and the diversification of employment opportunities when shocks occur.