Trade monitoring
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.
Concluding Remarks by the Chairperson, H.E. Dr Athaliah Lesiba Molokomme of Botswana, acting on behalf of the current Chairperson of the Trade Policy Review Body, H.E. Mr Ángel Villalobos Rodríguez of Mexico, at the Trade Policy Review of Mexico, 5 and 7 October 2022.
This seventh Trade Policy Review has provided an excellent opportunity to review the main developments in and challenges of Mexico’s trade and investment policies since its last Review in 2017. I would like to thank Undersecretary for Foreign Trade at the Secretariat of Economy the Hon. Ms Luz María de la Mora Sánchez who has travelled from Mexico and Ambassador Ángel Villalobos and the rest of the Mexican delegation for their active engagement in this Review. I would also like to thank our discussant Ambassador Clare Kelly of New Zealand for her valuable contribution.
Trade Policy Review: Brazil 2022
“Trade Policy Reviews” analyse the trade policies and practices of each member of the WTO. The reviews consist of three parts: an independent report by the WTO Secretariat a report by the government and the concluding remarks by the Chair of the WTO’s Trade Policy Review Body. The opening section - “key trade facts” - provides a visual overview of the WTO member’s major exports/imports main export destinations origins for its imports and other key data. This edition looks into the trade practices of Brazil.
Report by Brazil
The Brazilian Government is pleased to submit its eighth Trade Policy Report to WTO Members. Brazil considers this periodic review mechanism as a key element of the multilateral trading system embodied in the WTO contributing to a more transparent and comprehensive understanding of Members’ trade policies and regulatory frameworks.
Report by the WTO Secretariat
The Mexican economy experienced a severe downturn starting in mid-2018 followed by a slight contraction in real GDP in 2019 due in particular to a fall in gross capital formation a reduction in public spending and a slowdown in private consumption. In 2020 the economy was badly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic which caused GDP to shrink by 8.2% during the year. In 2021 the Mexican economy rebounded with GDP growth of around 4.8% thanks in large part to the measures adopted to deal with the pandemic which were aimed primarily at assisting the hardest-hit families and businesses particularly small and medium-sized enterprises. These measures include the opening of facilities to provide an adequate level of liquidity incentives for the restructuring of bank loans and the implementation of social programmes and business support programmes such as the Financial Support Programme for Family-Run Microenterprises.
Report by the WTO Secretariat
Since Brazil’s previous Review in 2017 efforts for improving economic fundamentals and strengthening macroeconomic resilience were undertaken. During the review period and prior to the COVID-19 outbreak Brazil’s annual GDP growth rate rose up to 1.8% (2018) before contracting to 3.9% (2020) due to the pandemic. It has since bounced back to an estimated 4.6% in 2021 as a result of timely adopted support measures booming terms of trade a pickup in commodity prices recovery in domestic and external demand and robust private sector credit growth. Brazil’s annual average GDP growth rate for the period 2017-21 was relatively low at 1% although higher than the average of -0.4% in 2012-16. Developments in the country’s position among the most competitive economies in the world reflect inter alia improvements in the business environment but also weaknesses in several areas where reforms have been under way. Between 2017 and 2020 inflation at rates ranging from 3.2% to 3.7% remained under the upper limit of the tolerance range established by the Central Bank of Brazil (BCB); however since January 2021 it exceeded its upper limit attaining 8.3% that year and rose progressively to 12.13% in April 2022 but easing subsequently to 11.7% in May 2022. Unemployment rose slightly to the historically high rate of 13.5% in 2020 and 2021 inter alia due to the impact of the pandemic.
Trade Policy Review: Seychelles 2022
“Trade Policy Reviews" analyse the trade policies and practices of each member of the WTO. The reviews consist of three parts: an independent report by the WTO Secretariat a report by the government and the concluding remarks by the Chair of the WTO’s Trade Policy Review Body. The opening section - "key trade facts" - provides a visual overview of the WTO member's major exports/imports main export destinations origins for its imports and other key data. This edition looks into the trade practices of Seychelles.
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.