WTO Secretariat

The WTO Secretariat, with offices in Geneva, has 640 staff on the regular budget and is headed by Director-General Pascal Lamy. Since decisions are taken by WTO members, the Secretariat has no decision-making powers. Its main duties are to supply technical and professional support for the various councils and committees, to provide technical assistance for developing countries, to monitor and analyse developments in world trade, to provide information to the public and the media, and to organize the ministerial conferences. The Secretariat also provides some forms of legal assistance in the dispute settlement process and advises governments wishing to become members of the WTO.