WTO members reviewed on 29 September four regional trade agreements concluded between developing countries at a dedicated session of the Committee on Trade and Development.
Deputy Director-General Alan Wolff called for the creation of a “useful forum at the WTO to discuss specific structural changes in the organization and its rules”. Speaking on 28 September at the opening plenary of Geneva Trade Week organized by the Graduate Institute of Geneva, DDG Wolff said (...)
The United States notified the Dispute Settlement Body on 28 September 2020 of its decision to appeal the panel report in the case brought by Canada in “United States — Countervailing Measures on Softwood Lumber from Canada” (DS533).
Five country-focused workshops will take place in the coming weeks to discuss the latest progress on a joint initiative undertaken by the WTO, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the International Trade Centre (ITC) to enhance the economic benefits of cotton (...)
At a meeting of the Dispute Settlement Body on 28 September, WTO members agreed to the establishment of a dispute panel at the request of China to determine whether China complied with an earlier WTO ruling regarding subsidies for wheat and rice (...)
Participants in the structured discussions on investment facilitation for development began on 25 September 2020 formal negotiations on a multilateral agreement on this issue, with a view to achieving a concrete outcome by the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC12) scheduled for next year. At (...)
Tourism has been among the hardest hit of all sectors by the COVID-19 pandemic. Women, youth, and workers in the informal economy are the most at risk from tourism sector job losses and business closures. Building back better from the COVID-19 pandemic represents an opportunity to rethink the (...)
WTO members will intensify their work over the coming months on ensuring that standards and regulations do not act as unnecessary obstacles to trade. In their discussions in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee, they will also work on developing guidance on how governments should (...)
On 24 September 2020, Thailand notified the WTO’s Committee on Safeguards that it initiated on 18 September 2020 a safeguard investigation on aluminium foil.
Countries that are already experiencing fragility, conflict, climate change and forced displacement will continue to face multiple burdens as results of the COVID-19 pandemic. The ILO calls for more peaceful and resilient societies through the promotion of employment and decent (...)