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.
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.
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.
Órgano de Apelación
El volumen de trabajo del Órgano de Apelación siguió siendo importante en 2012, aunque el número de nuevas apelaciones se estabilizó. A lo largo del año el Órgano de Apelación distribuyó informes sobre nueve diferencias, cuatro de los cuales se referían a apelaciones presentadas en 2011. Se presentaron nuevas apelaciones en cinco diferencias, y todas ellas se concluyeron en 2012. Se llevó a cabo un procedimiento de arbitraje de conformidad con el párrafo 3 (c) del artículo 21 relativo al plazo prudencial para la aplicación. En junio se nombró a un nuevo Miembro del Órgano de Apelación.
Contact with parliamentarians
In 2013, the annual Parliamentary Conference on the WTO, organized by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the European Parliament, was held in Bali during the WTO’s Ninth Ministerial Conference. The WTO Secretariat continued to update parliamentarians on WTO issues. It organized a regional workshop for Asian parliamentarians in Singapore.
Dispute settlement activity in 2011
In 2011, the Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) received eight notifications from WTO members of formal requests for consultations under the Dispute Settlement Understanding (DSU), less than half the number (17 notifications) received in 2010. This is the lowest number in the history of the WTO, the next lowest being 12 in 2005. Although the volume of new activity is low, the dispute settlement mechanism is currently dealing with numerous cases. The DSB adopted eight panel and five Appellate Body reports, including those in the largest case to come before the dispute settlement system, the case involving the European Union and Airbus..
Políticas de ajuste en el mercado de trabajo y políticas en respuesta a los cambios en la distribución
Para que la economía se beneficie de los avances tecnológicos y del comercio, los trabajadores tendrán que cambiar a menudo de empleo u ocupación, un proceso en el que pueden quedar desplazados. Cuanto más suave sea este proceso en el mercado laboral, menores serán los costos del ajuste para los trabajadores desplazados y mayores los beneficios netos de los cambios tecnológicos y del comercio para la sociedad. Los gobiernos y otras instituciones pueden hacer que el mercado laboral responda mejor a los cambios económicos mediante la adopción de diversas medidas destinadas básicamente, aunque no de modo exclusivo, a ese mercado. La disminución de los costos del ajuste para los trabajadores puede atenuar también la resistencia social a los cambios tecnológicos e impedir el auge del proteccionismo comercial.