WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION's update

 

26 Mar 2025 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 Trade Policy Review: Cambodia The third review of the trade policies and practices Cambodia takes place on 26 and 28 March 2025. The basis for the review is a report by the WTO Secretariat and a report by Cambodia. TPR documents   ⟶

NEWS ITEM Agriculture Committee adopts two decisions to enhance transparency, notifications At the 24-25 March meeting of the Committee on Agriculture, the Chair, Ms. Anna Leung of Hong Kong, China, congratulated members on the successful conclusion of the third triennial review of the Nairobi Decision on Export Competition. Members also adopted a decision on the transparency of Tariff Rate Quotas (TRQs). Both outcomes are aimed at streamlining notifications and data reporting requirements and aligning them with obligations stemming from ministerial decisions. Additionally, members reviewed each other’s trade policies and engaged in discussions on food security and technology transfer. News item   ⟶

WTO update

 

24 Mar 2025 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 continue TRIPS implementation review discussion, address IP notification obligations WTO members continued talks on how to proceed on the long overdue review of the implementation of the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS). At a meeting of the TRIPS Council on 20-21 March, members were also updated on notifications under various provisions of the TRIPS Agreement. In addition, they had an extensive discussion on technology transfer to least-developed countries (LDCs). Mme Emmanuelle Ivanov-Durand, Permanent Delegate of France, was elected as Chair of the Council for the coming year. News item   ⟶

NEWS ITEM WTO regional trade policy course underway in Trinidad and Tobago A WTO Regional Trade Policy Course for the Caribbean commenced on 17 March in Trinidad and Tobago, bringing together 21 government officials from 13 developing WTO members and observers in the region. The training programme is being carried out in partnership with the University of West Indies (UWI), St Augustine Campus. It is due to conclude on 9 May. News item   ⟶

NEWS ITEM Canada initiates WTO dispute regarding Chinese duties on agricultural, fishery products Canada has requested WTO dispute consultations with China concerning Chinese measures that impose additional import duties on certain agricultural and fishery products from Canada. The request was circulated to WTO members on 24 March. News item   ⟶

NEWS ITEM WTO launches call for candidates for 2026 Young Professionals Programme The WTO has launched the application process for the next edition of its Young Professionals Programme, a one-year opportunity for early-career professionals from developing economies to gain hands-on experience of trade issues at the WTO Secretariat. The application period is open until 22 April 2025. News item   ⟶

NEWS ITEM Members look into bolstering support for trade policies, fast-tracking digital trade growth WTO members called for greater support for trade policies and regulations within developing economies at an Aid for Trade session of the WTO Committee on Trade and Development on 25 March. Bringing together Geneva-based ambassadors and capital-based government officials from WTO members, the meeting also welcomed the European Union’s 2024 Aid-for-Trade Progress Report. In an experience-sharing session held the same day, members stressed the importance of accelerating digital trade growth within developing economies. News item   ⟶

NEWS ITEM DDG Ellard urges action on harmful fisheries subsidies at Monaco Blue Initiative Deputy Director-General Angela Ellard called on participants at the 16th edition of the Monaco Blue Initiative to take action to address harmful fisheries subsidies at the WTO. She took part in a “fireside chat” on 24 March at the event, which brought together major players in ocean conservation and governance to reflect on key challenges facing the marine environment. News item   ⟶

WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION's update

 

18 Mar 2025 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 Hill opens 2025 workshop on incentives for technology transfer to LDCs The annual WTO workshop on incentives for technology transfer to least-developed countries (LDCs) under the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) was opened by Deputy Director-General Johanna Hill on 17 March. She was joined in the opening session by Emanuelle Ivanov-Durand, Permanent Representative of France to the WTO, and Kadra Ahmed Hassan, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Djibouti to the WTO. The workshop brought together 30 participants from LDCs, experts from nine developed members, specialists from the public and private sectors and intergovernmental organizations. News item   ⟶   NEWS ITEM Pakistan formally accepts Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies Pakistan deposited its instrument of acceptance of the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies on 20 March. Ambassador Ali Sarfraz Hussain presented Pakistan’s instrument of acceptance to Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. News item   ⟶

WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION's update

 

19 Mar 2025 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 Colombia formally accepts Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies Colombia deposited its instrument of acceptance of the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies on 19 March. Ambassador Mauricio Alberto Bustamante García presented Colombia’s instrument of acceptance to Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. News item   ⟶

NEWS ITEM Members discuss role of digital industrialization, technology transfer in enhancing e-commerce At a meeting on the Work Programme on E-commerce on 18 March 2025, WTO members shared regional and national experiences with digitalization as well as efforts to enhance the e-commerce environment through technology transfer. Members explored the role the WTO can play in bridging the digital divide and advancing digital industrialization. News item   ⟶

NEWS ITEM Members consider trade agreements involving Australia, Cambodia, China, India, Nicaragua WTO members considered the following regional trade agreements (RTAs) at the 18 March meeting of the Committee on RTAs: the India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement, the Free Trade Agreement between China and Nicaragua, and the Free Trade Agreement between China and Cambodia. The Committee elected Ambassador José Valencia of Ecuador as the new Chairperson at the close of the meeting. News item   ⟶

Important notice — Date for WTO trade outlook release — 16 April: The embargoed press conference for the WTO Global Trade Outlook and Statistics is scheduled for 16 April, 2pm CET.

The embargo will lift at 3pm on the same day. The event will take place both in person and online in English, French, and Spanish.

WTO news

 

13 Mar 2025 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 underscore continued focus on trade facilitation implementation and assistance This year marks a turning point for the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA), as the number of measures requiring implementation assistance is set to peak in 2025 for developing members and least-developed country (LDC) members, the Committee on Trade Facilitation heard at its meeting on 12-13 March. News item   ⟶

NEWS ITEM DDG Ellard cites urgent need to boost multilateral trading system in university speech In her speech at Waseda University in Tokyo on 11 March, WTO Deputy Director-General Angela Ellard highlighted the critical need to revitalize the multilateral trading system. She called for reforms in key areas, including dispute settlement and agriculture, and spoke about the opportunities offered by plurilateral agreements. She also cited the importance of securing the entry into force of the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies and completing the “second wave” of fisheries subsidies negotiations. The full text of her speech is provided below. News item   ⟶

WTO trade barometers news archive

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

NEWS ITEM Goods barometer little changed at start of 2025 but trade policy uncertainty looms Global goods trade appeared to remain steady in the fourth quarter of 2024 and looked set to continue growing in the first months of 2025 as the WTO Goods Trade Barometer ticked up to 102.8, nearly unchanged from the previous reading of 102.7 from last December. However, increased trade policy uncertainty and the prospect of new tariffs could weigh on trade in the medium term. News item   ⟶

WTO update

 

10 Mar 2025 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 Guatemala formally accepts Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies Guatemala deposited its instrument of acceptance of the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies on 10 March. Ambassador Eduardo Ernesto Sperisen-Yurt presented Guatemala’s instrument of acceptance to Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. News item