WTO

This report takes stock of the evolution of global value chains (GVCs) in light of technological developments, such as robotics, big data and the Internet of Things. It discusses how these technologies are reshaping GVCs and examines the effect of these changes on labor markets in developed and developing economies and on supply chain management. The report discusses how technological developments are creating new opportunities for the participation of small and medium-sized enterprises in global value chains and reviews issues related to GVC measurement. The report is a follow-up to the first Global Value Chain Development Report, which revealed the changing nature of international trade when analyzed in terms of value chains and value-added trade.

The Global Value Chain Development Report 2025, the fifth in this biennial series, looks at how global value chains (GVCs) are being rewired by technological change, the green transition and shifting geopolitical conditions. With the focus of policy-makers and business moving from efficiency gains to resilience, the report examines how production, trade and investment are reconfiguring across regions and what this implies for productivity and inclusive development. The report provides an overview of recent trends in GVCs and documents the emergence of new regional hubs and firm networks. Special attention is given to changing patterns of GVC participation in Latin America, the Caribbean and Africa to explore how these regions may grasp the opportunities the ongoing shifts provide. The report also analyses how digitalization and services are reshaping value creation and pays particular attention to the reorganization of automobile and electric vehicle supply chains. The report concludes by illustrating how recent transformations are leading to novel governance approaches, including industrial policies and targeted trade deals that address border issues such as carbon mitigation, critical minerals supply, and digital trade. Co-published by the University of International Business and Economics, Asian Development Bank, Institute of Developing Economies–Japan External Trade Organization, World Economic Forum and the WTO in 2025.

This study focuses on the relationship between trade and the growth of the informal economy in developing countries. Based on existing academic literature, complemented with new empirical research by the ILO and the WTO, the study discusses how trade reform affects different aspects of the informal economy. It also examines how high rates of informal employment diminish the scope for developing countries to translate trade openness into sustainable long-term growth.

One of the most pressing issues confronting the multilateral trade system is the challenge posed by the rapid proliferation of preferential trade agreements. Plenty has been written about why governments might choose to negotiate preferentially or multilaterally, but until now it has been written almost exclusively from the perspective of governments. We know very little about how non-state actors view this issue of ‘forum choice', nor how they position themselves to influence choices by governments about whether to emphasize PTAs or the WTO. This book addresses that issue squarely through case studies of trade policy-making and forum choice in eight developing countries: Chile, Colombia, Mexico, South Africa, Kenya, Jordan, Indonesia and Thailand. The case studies are based on original research by the authors, including interviews with state and non-state actors involved in the trade policy-making process in the eight countries of this study.

What is “digital trade” and how can it be measured and monitored to support policymakers in navigating the digital transformation of international commerce? Digital technologies have made it increasingly feasible for buyers and sellers to place and receive orders on a global scale. They also enable the instantaneous remote delivery of services directly into businesses and homes, including internationally. By focusing on these two criteria – digital ordering and digital delivery across borders – the Handbook on Measuring Digital Trade sets out a conceptual and measurement framework for digital trade that aligns with the broader standards for macroeconomic statistics. This second edition of the Handbook is the outcome of a partnership between the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the World Trade Organization (WTO), resulting in a comprehensive agreed approach. This Handbook aims to help statistical compilers to address policymakers’ needs for statistical evidence on digital trade. It includes extensive compilation guidance, drawing upon substantive inputs and case studies from both developed and developing economies and covering a variety of survey and non-survey sources. A reporting template is also proposed to support compilers in the production and dissemination of digital trade statistics. This Handbook thereby establishes a valuable shared foundation for understanding and measuring digital trade in a way that is internationally comparable. Furthermore, it provides a crucial resource for an active programme of technical assistance and statistical capacity-building, through which the four co-authoring partner organizations can support statistical compilers as they seek to measure, monitor and respond to the challenges of digital trade.

International trade in food has helped to reduce global poverty and hunger. However, illicit trade in food and food fraud undermine the global food system and endanger public health. This publication looks into the challenges of combating illicit practices, such as smuggling and counterfeiting. Contributors examine the topic from a variety of perspectives, discussing how best to address illegal food trade and the role the WTO could play.

"El informe anual" de la organización a sus Miembros y al público sobre cuestiones institucionales, con inclusión de descripciones de sus principales actividades e información sobre su presupuesto y personal.

El Informe Anual 2020 contiene una exposición completa de las actividades realizadas por la Organización en 2019 y principios de 2020. El informe comienza con un mensaje del Director General, Roberto Azevêdo, y un resumen del año anterior. Posteriormente, se hace un análisis más profundo de las actividades llevadas a cabo en las principales esferas de la OMC en los últimos 12 meses. También se destacan los eventos y las actividades más importantes de la Organización.

El Informe anual 2022 de la OMC contiene una exposición completa de las actividades realizadas por la OMC en 2021 y a principios de 2022. También abarca la Duodécima Conferencia Ministerial (CM12), prevista inicialmente para finales de 2021, pero que se postergó hasta junio de 2022. El Informe comienza con un mensaje de la Directora General de la OMC, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, y presenta un resumen de las actividades realizadas por la OMC durante el año, seguido por una descripción más detallada de las principales esferas de actividad de la OMC en 2021 y a principios de 2022, incluyendo, en primer plano, el impacto de la COVID-19 en el comercio mundial y el Foro Público de 2021.

La OMC ha publicado su informe anual 2024, en el que se da cuenta exhaustiva de las actividades de la Organización en 2023 y en la primera parte de 2024. El informe repasa los principales acontecimientos del pasado año, como la Decimotercera Conferencia Ministerial, y describe la labor de la OMC para hacer frente a los retos a los que se enfrenta el comercio mundial y aprovechar sus oportunidades.