WTO update

 

21 Oct 2022 Latest news

Dear maria CHADZIDAKIS VAVOURANAKIS, Below are the news items published today on the WTO public website which match with your news preferences.

NEWS ITEM Members welcome AfCFTA’s role in fostering economic growth and development in LDCs WTO members discussed the potential of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in supporting economic growth and development in least-developed countries at a meeting of the Sub-Committee on Least-Developed Countries (LDCs) on 20 October. In addition to Djibouti and Togo’s experiences with the AfCFTA, the Sub-Committee also heard about trade initiatives by members and partner organizations to help LDCs become more active in regional and global trade. News item   ⟶

NEWS ITEM Members welcome enhanced WCO-WTO cooperation, take note of large number of trade concerns Members commended the efforts undertaken by the World Customs Organization (WCO) and the WTO to find more agile ways in which both organizations can work together to build resilience and improve preparedness for future crises. At a meeting of the Committee on Market Access on 18-19 October, members also heard a report from the Chair, Mr Kenya Uehara of Japan, about the experience-sharing sessions on trade in COVID-19 goods and discussed the increased number of trade concerns. News item   ⟶

NEWS ITEM DG Okonjo-Iweala urges update to WTO rules to address global food market challenges The WTO’s rules governing farm trade have not kept pace with the current challenges to global food markets and need to be updated, WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala told participants at a 24 October retreat on trade and agriculture. News item   ⟶   NEWS ITEM Trade thoughts, from Geneva, by DDG Anabel González Trade cooperation needed to support finance ministers and central bankers Blog   ⟶

NEWS ITEM Standards transparency champions programme kicks off in Geneva The Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Agreement Transparency Champions Programme was formally launched on 10-14 October with an in-person course in Geneva. This pilot initiative aims to scale up the application of, and benefits from, transparency in regulation, and foster champions for transparency. The first cohort includes 26 officials from African countries with responsibilities for TBT transparency procedures. News item   ⟶

NEWS ITEM WTO members discuss future work on trade in services following MC12 outcomes WTO members discussed how to follow up on outcomes from the 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12) and the way forward for the Council for Trade in Services at a meeting of the Council held on 14 October. Under consideration were the LDC Services Waiver, which seeks to boost the participation of least-developed countries (LDCs) in services trade, and the E-commerce Work Programme and Moratorium. The response to pandemics and WTO reform were also among the MC12 outcomes discussed. News item   ⟶