WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION's update

 

25 Nov 2022 Latest news

Dear maria CHADZIDAKIS VAVOURANAKIS, Below are the news items published today on the WTO public website

NEWS ITEM Members discuss lessons learned from COVID-19 pandemic, hear views of external stakeholders The Committee on Market Access held on 21 November the fifth of a series of experience-sharing sessions on trade in goods related to COVID-19. Based on inputs provided by members at the last session in September, this fifth session focused on the main lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic. The meeting was preceded by a special session with external stakeholders who shared their insights on the different responses to the pandemic. The Committee also met informally on 23 November to address various issues. News item   ⟶

NEWS ITEM WTO members take steps to invigorate working group on trade and transfer of technology At a meeting of the Working Group on Trade and Transfer of Technology on 24 November, experts from international organizations and ministries shared their experiences and findings on technology transfer, with a view to invigorating work of the group, improving understanding on the nexus between trade and transfer of technology and increasing flows of technology to developing countries. News item   ⟶

NEWS ITEM WTO, Pacific Islands affirm cooperation for work on fisheries subsidies and key issues The WTO and the Pacific Islands Forum on 18 November affirmed continuing cooperation on fisheries subsidies and other key issues. WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, meeting with Pacific Islands ministers in Nadi, Fiji, lauded the group’s advocacy on and stewardship of the ocean and climate. To reaffirm longstanding cooperation between the two organizations, the WTO and the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) renewed a memorandum of understanding for joint technical assistance. News item ⟶ NEWS ITEM DDG González: Timely and quality market information is key to transparency, food security Growing risks to food security and market uncertainties underline the need to enhance transparency about agricultural trade measures and to strengthen data-sharing through the G20 Agriculture Market Information System (AMIS), Deputy Director-General Anabel González said on 18 November. She was speaking at a meeting of the AMIS Global Food Market Information Group at the WTO’s headquarters. “The availability, quality, and timeliness of country submissions remain key to building accurate supply and demand balances for vitally important food security crops,” she stressed. News item ⟶ NEWS ITEM WTO Fisheries Funding Mechanism now operational to assist developing countries and LDCs A key commitment from the WTO’s Fisheries Subsidies Agreement has now been made effective. Specifically, the WTO Fisheries Funding Mechanism envisioned in that Agreement is now operational and ready to accept donations to support developing and least-developed countries in implementing the WTO’s new agreement to curb harmful fisheries subsidies. The WTO Secretariat formally submitted its notification outlining how the Fund will work and its estimated budget to WTO members at a meeting of the Committee on Budget, Finance and Administration on 8 November. News item ⟶