Trade monitoring
Regional trade agreements
In 2012, the WTO received 37 new notifications, a considerable increase over the 25 received in 2011. The notifications involved 23 regional trade agreements (RTAs). Eight of the RTAs were between developed partners, with another eight involving developed and developing partners. The remaining seven were between developing country partners. The Americas was the region with the highest number of notifications – ten, followed by the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) region with eight.
Análisis económico de las subvenciones
El objeto de la presente Sección es ayudar al lector a comprender mejor la doble cuestión de por qué los gobiernos utilizan las subvenciones y qué efectos tienen en el comercio internacional. Como suele suceder en los análisis económicos, el punto de partida para lo que sigue será una economía “de referencia”, con mercados con una competencia perfecta. Este enfoque sirve de base para obtener indicaciones generales sobre el impacto de intervenciones públicas como las subvenciones. Como se explica más adelante, cuando un mercado es perfectamente competitivo, no hay ningún argumento que justifique una subvención. Introducir una subvención u otro tipo de medida gubernamental en un mercado perfecto no sería eficaz y reduciría el bienestar. Sin embargo, si se atenúa la hipótesis del mercado perfecto, se pueden dar situaciones en que una medida pública, como una subvención, mejore el bienestar. Una subvención eficaz puede corregir un mal funcionamiento del mercado y equilibrar así los costos y beneficios sociales y privados.
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.
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.
Report by the WTO Secretariat
Since the last Trade Policy Review of Iceland in 2012, a number of significant changes to its trade policy have been introduced. Tariffs on non-agricultural goods were fully eliminated and tariffs on some agricultural goods were also reduced. In addition, a number of measures were undertaken and projects are currently under way to improve customs procedures and new free trade agreements have been signed. On the other hand, although new regulations for the agriculture sector took effect in 2017 for the period 2017-2026, the sector continues to be protected by high tariffs and supported by subsidies. In addition, foreign investment restrictions remain in some sectors, notably fishing and energy.