WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION's update

03 Nov 2023
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

DDG Zhang calls on LDCs to explore ways of boosting agriculture and services trade

Speaking at a workshop on least-developed countries (LDCs) and the multilateral trading system on 3 November at the WTO, Deputy Director-General Xiangchen Zhang said: “We need to keep building on the progress made to support the greater integration of LDCs into global trade.” The event provided an opportunity for WTO members and trade experts to discuss the findings of a new study outlining the participation of LDCs in agriculture and services trade.

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NEWS ITEM

Exploring new pathways for LDC integration into global trade

International trade offers least-developed countries (LDCs) a tried-and-tested route towards sustainable economic growth and development. But what can be done to help LDCs expand their share of global trade?
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NEWS ITEM

Working group on food security moves closer to finalizing report and recommendations

The working group on food security reviewed on 31 October a revised report of the coordinator, with the aim of reaching consensus on a final report and set of recommendations by end-November to help address the concerns of least-developed countries (LDCs) and net food-importing developing countries (NFIDCs). The meeting was facilitated by Mr Kjetil Tysdal of Norway, the coordinator of the food security work programme, which is conducted under the Committee on Agriculture.
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WTO issues new edition of Trade Profiles

The WTO issued today (31 October) the 2023 edition of Trade Profiles, an annual publication providing key data on merchandise trade and trade in commercial services for 197 economies. Each two-page profile provides a breakdown of the economy’s major exports and imports and its main trading partners.
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NEWS ITEM

Transparency concerns highlighted during discussions at subsidies committee meeting

At a meeting of the Committee on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures (SCM) on 27 October 2023, the Chair of the Committee, Mr James Lester (New Zealand), underlined that transparency regarding WTO members’ trade measures is fundamentally important for the work of the Committee. He emphasized that members’ poor compliance rate with notification requirements needs to be addressed and urged members to make best efforts to bring notifications up to date.

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E-commerce co-convenors: “We must lock in the credible package that we have in our hands”

The co-convenors of e-commerce talks — Australia, Japan and Singapore — outlined to participants at the latest round of negotiations on 25-27 October the next steps towards concluding the talks by year-end. The package on the table “is a result of five years of hard work and even though it does not meet all our expectations, it is a substantive package that delivers benefits to consumers, businesses and members,” they said. The initiative welcomed The Gambia as the 90th member of the talks.

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