At a virtual meeting of the Committee on Agriculture in Special Session on 25 May, WTO members shared preliminary views on COVID-19’s impact on the WTO’s agriculture negotiations and discussed how to move forward with these talks. Members reaffirmed the importance of upholding WTO rules during (...)
On 21 May 2020, South Africa notified the WTO’s Committee on Safeguards that it initiated on 15 May 2020 a safeguard investigation on bolts with hexagon heads of iron or steel.
WTO Director-General Roberto Azevêdo took part in a virtual meeting hosted by German Chancellor Angela Merkel on 20 May to look at the health, economic and social impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic along with the international policy response. The heads of the ILO, IMF, OECD and the World Bank (...)
WTO members have established a month-long period in which candidates seeking to succeed Roberto Azevêdo as Director-General may submit their nomination bids. General Council Chair David Walker of New Zealand informed members on 20 May the appointment process for the next Director-General would (...)
The WTO Secretariat has issued a new information note on the standards‐ and regulation-related policies WTO members have adopted in response to COVID-19 and formally notified to the WTO. Around half of the measures are trade (...)
The volume of world merchandise trade is likely to fall precipitously in the first half of 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic disrupts the global economy, according to the WTO Goods Trade Barometer released on 20 May. The index currently stands at 87.6, far below the baseline value of 100, (...)
On 18 May 2020, the WTO Committee on Government Procurement received Brazil’s bid to start negotiations on joining the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA). Brazil said it would circulate the necessary accession documents as soon as the COVID-19 situation allows (...)
Senior business representatives from around the world discussed the role of trade policy in tackling the health and economic implications of the COVID-19 crisis at a virtual Trade Dialogues meeting facilitated by the WTO on 19 May. Over 70 business representatives took part in the meeting, (...)
The contribution of public health policy, intellectual property rules and trade agreements to support the development and dissemination of key health technologies to fight the COVID-19 pandemic will be a special feature of this year’s Trade and Public Health Workshop, scheduled to take place in (...)
At a meeting of the General Council on 15 May, WTO members exchanged views regarding trade responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many members said the unprecedented crisis was best addressed through enhanced cooperation and coordination among the international community, including at the (...)