WTO
The WTO celebrates its 25th anniversary
- Title
- The WTO celebrates its 25th anniversary
- Date posted
- 4 years ago
- Description
- On 15 April 1994, representatives from more than 120 nations gathered in Marrakesh, Morocco, to sign what was described at the time as the “greatest trade agreement in history”. This led to the establishment of the WTO on 1 January 1995 and created a new global framework for liberalizing trade in goods and services, protecting intellectual property rights, and easing trade tensions through a new dispute resolution mechanism.
Over the past 25 years, trade has evolved in many ways, with the WTO playing an important role in this evolution. Today, the organization has 164 members accounting for 98% of world trade.
Learn more at wto.org
- Title
- TPRM turns 30: conference highlights
- Date posted
- 4 years ago
- Description
- Conference reviews evolution of Trade Policy Review Mechanism and future challenges
A conference held at the WTO on 27 November 2019 looked back at the achievements of the Trade Policy Review Mechanism over the past 30 years.
Looking to the future, participants concluded that the mechanism needs to adapt if it is to remain a critical tool for preserving transparency in global trade and for allowing members to better understand each other's trade policies.
Speakers in this video:
Irene Young, Former Chair, WTO Trade Policy Review Body
Clemens Boonekamp, Former Director, WTO Trade Policy Review Division
Richard Eglin, Former Director, WTO Trade Policy Review Division
Harsha V. Singh, WTO Former Deputy Director-General
Cheryl K. Spencer, Jamaica’s Ambassador to the WTO
Peter Tulloch, Former Director, WTO Trade Policy Review Division
Pamela Coke-Hamilton, Director, International Trade and Commodities,...
- Title
- Adapting to a changing world: WTO Public Forum
- Date posted
- 4 years ago
- Description
- WTO Public Forum: Participants discuss expectations for the WTO and the trading system
Various factors are rapidly transforming the trading landscape. This year the WTO Public Forum sought to hear what businesses, traders, academics and officials around the world expect from the global trading system today and how global economic cooperation could work in the future.
Speakers in this video:
Xinquan Tu, University of International Business and Economics
Melanie Kreis, Deutsche Post DHL Group
Alberto Mazzola, European Economic and Social Committee (EESC)
Bruce Stokes, German Marshall Fund
Anna Malmhake, The Absolut Company Pernod Ricard
Chebet Lesan, BrightGreen Energy
Alisée de Tonnac, Seedstars Group
Gonzalo Navarro, Asociación Latinoamericana de Internet (ALAI)
Camilla Junqueira, Endeavor Brazil
Tina Fordham, Citi
Yuejiao Zhang, Former WTO Appellate Body Member
Soumaya Keynes...
- Title
- Behind the scenes of TPRs
- Date posted
- 5 years ago
- Description
- The WTO marks the 30th anniversary of the Trade Policy Review Mechanism (TPRM) in 2019. Under this transparency exercise the trade policies and practices of each WTO member are examined in depth on a regular basis.
Five WTO experts explain the review process, from learning about the government under review to publishing the reports, which are of particular use to government officials, the private sector and academics.
More about the TPRM's 30th anniversary:
https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/tpr_e/tprm30_e.htm
- Title
- 15th Anniversary of the SPS Advanced Course
- Date posted
- 5 years ago
- Description
- The 15th edition of the WTO’s Advanced Course on Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Measures took place at the WTO headquarters between 28 October and 15 November.
Addressing the SPS Committee on 7 November, Director-General Roberto Azevêdo underlined the key role of the SPS Agreement in the field of food safety and public health.
The advanced course helps participants develop action plans that address SPS-related difficulties in their countries. Since its inception in 2005, the course has trained over 350 government officials, benefiting altogether 124 developing countries, 38 of them least developed countries.
Learn more at wto.org
- Title
- TPR at 30: Trinidad and Tobago's take
- Date posted
- 5 years ago
- Description
- The WTO marks the 30th anniversary of the Trade Policy Review Mechanism (TPRM) in 2019.
Established to ensure greater awareness of national trade policies, the TPRM is one of the main channels used by the WTO to promote accountability, predictability and transparency — the core values of the multilateral trading system.
For Paula Gopee-Scoon, Trinidad and Tobago’s Minister of Trade and Industry, the trade policy review process guides the country’s evolving relationship with the WTO.
More about the TPRM’s 30th anniversary:
https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/tpr_e/tprm30_e.htm
- Title
- TPR at 30: Costa Rica's take
- Date posted
- 5 years ago
- Description
- The WTO marks the 30th anniversary of the Trade Policy Review Mechanism (TPRM) in 2019.
Established to ensure greater awareness of national trade policies, the TPRM is one of the main channels used by the WTO to promote accountability, predictability and transparency — the core values of the multilateral trading system.
Duayner Salas, Costa Rica’s Vice Minister for Foreign Trade, notes that trade policy reviews are useful for the government, the private sector and trading partners.
More about the TPRM’s 30th anniversary:
https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/tpr_e/tprm30_e.htm
- Title
- WTO-WCO-ITC "Rules of Origin Facilitator"
- Date posted
- 5 years ago
- Description
- Presented to WTO members at a 17 October meeting of the WTO's Committee on Rules of Origin, the Rules of Origin Facilitator provides firms with free access to a unique searchable database on duty savings in trade agreements, and the corresponding rules of origin.
WTO Director-General Roberto Azevêdo highlights the benefits this tool brings to both governments and companies, particularly to smaller businesses in developing and least developed countries.
The Rules of Origin Facilitator is the result of a partnership between the International Trade Centre (ITC), World Customs Organization (WCO) and the WTO.
- Title
- Youth perspective on trade: WTO Public Forum
- Date posted
- 5 years ago
- Description
- WTO Public Forum: Millennials and Generation Z hopes and expectations for the future
Youth from the private and public sectors discussed, together with WTO Director-General Roberto Azevêdo, how they believe the trading system needs to adapt to fulfil their hopes and expectations for the future.
It is the first time the Public Forum has dedicated a high-level panel completely focused on youth, at a time when Millennials and Generation Z account for two-thirds of the global workforce and will represent over half of the world's population by 2020.
Speakers in this video:
Roberto Azevêdo, Director-General, World Trade Organization
Edith Kimani, Deutsche Welle
Alisée de Tonnac, Co-Founder and Partner, Seedstars Group
Chebet Lesan, CEO, BrightGreen Energy
Andres Escobar, Co-founder, IMPCT Coffee
Bradley Heslop, Co-Founder and Managing Director – Africa, WSV
Learn more at wto.org
- Title
- From containers to parcels: WTO Public Forum
- Date posted
- 5 years ago
- Description
- The biggest chunk of global trade today is still done dispatched in containers. But by far, the biggest growth rates are in for cross-border parcel shipments. Melanie Kreis, Chief Financial Officer with Deutsche Post DHL Group, sees a major the potential for trade to become more inclusive in with this transformation development. She spoke at the WTO Public Forum’s opening session on 8 October 2019.
- Title
- Changing Africa's single story: WTO Public Forum
- Date posted
- 5 years ago
- Description
- Adebola Williams, CEO of media company RED for Africa, believes that perceptions about Africa abroad are outdated. In his view, the international community should change the way they engage with Africans. He spoke at the WTO Public Forum 2019 opening session.
- Title
- Sachs's views on value of trade's value: WTO Public Forum
- Date posted
- 5 years ago
- Description
- Intro text What would the world be like without trade and the trading system? How does the system need to change to match in light of today's economy? Economist Jeffrey Sachs, from Columbia University, answers questions by from WTO Director-General Roberto Azevêdo at the Public Forum 2019 opening debate.
Watch the full webcast: wto.org/webcast
- Title
- World Cotton Day launch at WTO
- Date posted
- 5 years ago
- Description
- World Cotton Day launch at WTO on 7 October 2019
The WTO and the Cotton Four - Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad and Mali – in collaboration with FAO, UNCTAD, ITC and ICAC (International Cotton Advisory Committee) launched World Cotton Day at WTO headquarters on 7 October 2019.
The event seeks to shed light on the linkages between trade, cotton and development, bringing together the cotton, trade and development communities.
Speakers in this video:
Roberto Azevêdo, WTO Director-General,
Shadiya Alimatou Assouman, Trade and Industry Minister – Bénin,
Harouna Kabore, Minister of Industry, Trade and Handicraft – Burkina Faso,
Moulaye Ahmed Boubacar, Minister of Agriculture – Mali,
Souleymane Diarrassouba, Trade and Industry Minister - Côte d'Ivoire
Learn more at wto.org
- Title
- Exporting Talent — WTO Public Forum
- Date posted
- 5 years ago
- Description
- Services are an ever-growing component of world trade. Exporters in this sector face unique barriers, and success relies on a skilled workforce. Albán Sanchez, co-founder of Lantern Technologies, talks about challenges his company faces and opportunities ahead for services exporters.
- Title
- Trading Forward
- Date posted
- 5 years ago
- Description
- Five individuals share their take on the global economy and on how trade can adapt to a changing world. This video opened the Public Forum 2019: Trading Forward — adapting to a changing world.
Learn more about the 2019 Public Forum: https://www.wto.org/english/forums_e/public_forum19_e/public_forum19_e.htm
- Title
- Coming soon: World Cotton Day
- Date posted
- 5 years ago
- Description
- World Cotton Day: Senior officials call for global celebration of cotton
World Cotton Day will be a global celebration of cotton, highlighting its qualities as a natural fibre and the benefits it brings to those involved in its production, trading and consumption. World Cotton Day, an initiative of the Cotton-4 (Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad and Mali), will be launched at the WTO on 7 October 2019, in collaboration with FAO, UNCTAD, ITC and ICAC.
Speakers in this video:
WTO Director-General, Roberto Azevêdo
ICAC Executive Director, Kai Hughes
ITC Executive Director, Arancha González
Ambassador of Chad, Ahmad Makaila
Former minister of industry and trade of Benin, Serge Ahissou Mahouwèdo
ACP Assistant Secretary-General, Viwanou Gnassounou
Ambassador of Burkina Faso, Dieudonne W. Desire Sougouri
Learn more at wto.org
- Title
- Aid for trade: empowerment and diversification
- Date posted
- 5 years ago
- Description
- The seventh Global Review of Aid for Trade, entitled “Supporting Economic Diversification and Empowerment”, wrapped up on 5 July, after three days of debate about the role of development aid in promoting economic diversification, empowerment of women and young people, the role of small businesses in international trade and other topics.
This video offers a glimpse into the event.
More about the Aid for Trade Global Review:
https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/devel_e/a4t_e/gr19_e/gr19programme_e.htm
- Title
- Aid for trade: oceans and fisheries subsidies
- Date posted
- 5 years ago
- Description
- For Peter Thomson, UN Envoy for the Oceans, of all issues affecting the oceans today, harmful fisheries subsidies is one that can be fixed easily. Director-General Roberto Azevêdo considers that getting an agreement to limit harmful subsidies will be a "critical important test for our capacity to deliver on the multilateral track". They were keynote speakers at a session about economic diversification and the blue economy held as part of the Aid for Trade Global Review, in Geneva, on 4 July.
More about the Aid for Trade Global Review:
https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/devel_e/a4t_e/gr19_e/gr19programme_e.htm
More on the negotiations:
https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/rulesneg_e/fish_e/fish_e.htm
- Title
- DG Azevêdo welcomes high-level representatives to the WTO
- Date posted
- 5 years ago
- Description
- High-level representatives from a number of WTO members visited Director-General Roberto Azevêdo at the WTO's headquarters over the past few weeks to discuss the important role of the multilateral trading system and the WTO. Discussions included the current challenges facing global trade and the importance of the WTO in promoting stability and predictability in international trade.
Speakers in this video:
Peru’s Vice President Mercedes Aráoz
President Salome Zourabichvili of Georgia
His Majesty King Mswati III of Eswatini
President Rumen Radev of Bulgaria
- Title
- WTO Open Day 2019
- Date posted
- 5 years ago
- Description
- Close to 3,000 visitors enjoyed guided tours of the building, gained insights into the work of the WTO, sampled the national cuisines of a range of WTO members and took part in many other activities organized throughout the day.
One of the day’s key events was a special award presented by Director-General Roberto Azevêdo to Geneva’s diplomatic police.
Learn more at wto.org
- Title
- Ocean’s day: protecting sea life
- Date posted
- 5 years ago
- Description
- As the international community marks Oceans Day, take a look at a success history of marine life recovery in Costa Rica. A fishing community in Tárcoles, on the country’s Pacific Coast, decided to act and protect their livelihoods by setting up a marine conservation area.
It is everybody's job to ensure the wellbeing of marine life. The WTO also has a role to play: a negotiation at the World Trade Organization is ongoing to limit harmful subsidies
More on the negotiations:
https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/rulesneg_e/fish_e/fish_e.htm
- Title
- Let's Talk Future of Trade
- Date posted
- 5 years ago
- Description
- What is trade going to look like by 2030? New technologies are changing the way we trade. Artificial intelligence, 3D printing, blockchain,, and, connected objects are some of the innovations creating opportunities and shifts in the way economies benefit from trade.
Two of our economists, Emmanuelle Ganne and Ankai Xu, share insights from the WTO's World Trade Report 2018: "The Future of World Trade: How Digital Technologies are Transforming Global Commerce".
You can download and read the report here:
https://www.wto.org/english/res_e/publications_e/wtr18_e.htm
+++++++
If you want to go deeper into this topic, here are a few reading suggestions and links:
• Presentation of the World Trade Report 2018 by the other authors of the report:
https://youtu.be/PPqilSOfiGo
• Publication and seminar on about blockchain and its implications for international trade
https://www.wto.org/english/res_e/reser...
- Title
- WTO Open Day 2019: invitation
- Date posted
- 5 years ago
- Description
- The WTO opens its doors to the public for the fifth time on Sunday, 16 June 2019. WTO staff and representatives of WTO members will offer a wide variety of fun activities to its visitors, including guided tours, exhibitions, children's activities, live music and an international food court.
The event will take place between 10am and 5pm at the WTO headquarters in Geneva.
Find out more about the WTO Open Day 2019 and discover the full programme:
https://www.wto.org/english/forums_e/open_day_e/open_day19_e.htm
- Title
- New technologies and food safety
- Date posted
- 5 years ago
- Description
- Speakers in this video:
Frank Yiannas, US Food and Drug Administration
Anne Bucher, EC Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety
Elizabeth Murugi Nderitu, TradeMark East Africa
Lynn Frewer, Professor of Food and Safety, Newcastle University
Tan Lee Kim, Singapore Food Agency
Rajesh Aggarwal, International Trade Centre
Learn more at wto.org
- Title
- Visit of UN Secretary-General António Guterres to WTO
- Date posted
- 5 years ago
- Description
- UN Secretary-General António Guterres speaks at a special session of the General Council on 10 May 2019
Speaking at a special session of the WTO’s General Council, UN Secretary-General António Guterres, alongside Director-General Roberto Azevêdo and General Council Chair Sunanta Kangvalkulkij, said escalating trade tensions over the past year threaten growth in international trade and the very foundation of the rules-based multilateral trading system. "If WTO reform is to effectively respond to this challenge, it must be meaningful, fair, legitimate and sustainable," he declared, adding that "when trade tensions rise, there are no winners, only losers, especially among developing countries".
Speakers in this video:
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres
WTO Director-General Roberto Azevêdo
General Council Chair Sunanta Kangvalkulkij
Learn more at wto.org
- Title
- UN Secretary-General António Guterres at the WTO
- Date posted
- 5 years ago
- Description
- UN Secretary-General António Guterres addressed a special session of the General Council on 10 May 2019.
Learn more at wto.org
© UNTV
- Title
- E-commerce - Interview with Consumers International Director General Leurent
- Date posted
- 5 years ago
- Description
- Interview with Consumers International Director General Leurent on what role the WTO could play in e-commerce
“There are no common rules for e-commerce around the world. So, having a place where we can talk about what those rules should be, what the level playing field should be, is very important. As we look forward, the hope is that we can create a safer, fairer, more sustainable experience for consumers everywhere, offline and online,” says Consumers International Director General Helena Leurent, who participated in the WTO’s “Trade Dialogues” meeting with consumer organizations held on 6 May 2019 at the WTO headquarters.
Learn more at wto.org
- Title
- WTO's "Trade Dialogues"
- Date posted
- 5 years ago
- Description
- WTO Trade Dialogues brings consumers groups to the WTO to discuss consumers’ concerns
Senior representatives of consumer organizations meeting on 6 May 2019 at the WTO headquarters sent a strong message of support for the WTO and the multilateral trading system. They emphasized the importance of taking consumers’ concerns into account in trade negotiations and policy-making and presented their priorities for e-commerce.
The meeting, held at the request of Consumers International, is the first event to be organized solely for consumer organizations as part of the WTO’s “Trade Dialogues” initiative.
Speakers in this video:
WTO Director-General Roberto Azevêdo
Consumers International Director-General Helena Leurent
General Council Chair Sunanta Kangvalkulkij
Learn more at wto.org
- Title
- Addressing food safety concerns through trade and cooperation
- Date posted
- 5 years ago
- Description
- WTO hosts International Forum on Food Safety and Trade to strengthen global cooperation
Access to safe food is a central element of public health and crucial for achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. International cooperation will help to deliver this goal. WTO rules can play an important part by enabling governments to protect their citizens while ensuring trade can play its critical part in maintaining timely supplies of safe and affordable food.
This forum, held on 23-24 April, builds on a previous event in Addis Ababa in February 2019.
Speakers in this video:
WTO Director-General Roberto Azevêdo
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
OIE Director-General Monique Eloit
FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva
African Union Commissioner Josefa Leonel Correia Sacko
Learn more at wto.org
- Title
- Interview: Rufus Yerxa
- Date posted
- 5 years ago
- Description
- On this day 25 years ago, over 100 ministers from around the world signed the Marrakesh Agreement in Morocco, thereby establishing the World Trade Organization as a result of the successful conclusion of the eight-year-long Uruguay Round of trade negotiations. Former United States Ambassador Rufus Yerxa, a key player in ushering in the Marrakesh Agreement, shares with WTO Spokesman Keith Rockwell his reflections on that time as well as on the performance of the WTO today.
Learn more at wto.org
- Title
- WTO trade forecasts 2019
- Date posted
- 5 years ago
- Description
- World trade will continue to face strong headwinds in 2019 and 2020 after growing more slowly than expected in 2018 due to rising trade tensions and increased economic uncertainty. WTO economists expect merchandise trade volume growth to fall to 2.6% in 2019 — down from 3.0% in 2018. Trade growth could then rebound to 3.0% in 2020; however, this is dependent on an easing of trade tensions.
All details:
https://www.wto.org/english/news_e/pres19_e/pr837_e.htm
Full press conference available here:
http://bit.ly/2WMWaft
- Title
- Trade Dialogues: World Trade Report 2018
- Date posted
- 5 years ago
- Description
- The future of world trade: How digital technologies are transforming global commerce
The WTO Trade Dialogues lecture series focuses on the latest research on international trade and globalization. On 20 November 2018, the authors of the 2018 World Trade Report Emmanuelle Ganne, Marc Bacchetta, Roberta Piermartini and Robert Teh presented the key findings of the Report, which examines how digital technologies - and in particular the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, 3D printing and Blockchain - affect trade costs, the nature of what is traded and the composition of trade.
Trade Dialogues Lecture Series: https://goo.gl/0hw3iH
Economic research and analysis: https://goo.gl/4Qd9N7
World Trade Report 2018: https://goo.gl/A2mWJx
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this video are those of the lecturers. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of the WTO or its members.
Learn more at wto.org
- Title
- Updating Trade Cooperation
- Date posted
- 5 years ago
- Description
- Leading trade economists and government officials come together to discuss the value of trade cooperation from an economic perspective at the WTO, in Geneva. The day-long conference also heard opening remarks by Director-General Roberto Azevêdo and a keynote speech by Pinelopi Goldberg, Chief Economist of the World Bank.
For the full webcast and details visit:
https://www.wto.org/english/res_e/reser_e/tradecoorporation111218_e.htm
- Title
- Let's Talk Most Favoured Nation
- Date posted
- 5 years ago
- Description
- Discrimination makes people angry. Discriminating against a trading partner has the same effect at a much larger scale.
The Most Favoured Nation principle was designed to prevent countries from giving different treatment to one partner over the other. Keith Rockwell, WTO Director of Information and External Relations, and Joan Apecu, counsellor at the Council and Trade Negotiations Committee, talk about how the principle works, the most important exceptions and potential impacts of leaving it aside.
Learn more:
https://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/whatis_e/tif_e/fact2_e.htm#nondiscrimination
If you want to go deeper on this topic, here are a few reading suggestions and a few additional explanations:
• Understanding the WTO
https://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/whatis_e/tif_e/fact2_e.htm#nondiscrimination
• WTO legal texts
https://www.wto.org/english/res_e/publications_e/legal_texts_e.htm
- Title
- Let's Talk Tariffs
- Date posted
- 5 years ago
- Description
- Tariffs are a fact of life in international trade. Do you know how they work and what purpose they serve? Tariffs or customs duties are a tax on products purchased from abroad, and they are used by practically all countries. Tariffs are usually designed to collect revenue or to give a price advantage to a domestic product over an imported one. Two of our experts on tariffs and goods trade, Suja Rishikesh Mavroidis and Roy Santana, talk about how this tax works in practice.
Learn more about tariffs and how to find them:
https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/tariffs_e/tariff_data_e.htm
In case you were wondering, the tariffs shown in this video are the average of all MFN applied rates around the world for each of those goods. Learn about MFN here: https://youtu.be/lZZxArfeol8.
If you want to go deeper on this topic, here are a few additional explanations.
The practical side of tariffs
Tariffs can take many differen...
- Title
- Let's Talk WTO
- Date posted
- 5 years ago
- Description
- The World Trade Organization is about negotiations and rules for trade among nations. It is managed by the 164 governments that are the WTO's members with the assistance of an independent staff.
Roberto Azevêdo, who as Director-General heads that staff, and Vonai Muyambo, External Relations officer, talk about why the WTO was created and how it works.
If you want to go deeper on this topic, here are a few reading suggestions and a few additional explanations:
• WTO in brief
https://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/whatis_e/inbrief_e/inbr_e.htm
• The basics: WTO principles for trade
https://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/whatis_e/what_stand_for_e.htm
• The detail: Legal texts containing all trade rules and agreements in place
https://www.wto.org/english/docs_e/legal_e/legal_e.htm
• History of the multilateral trading system
https://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/history_e/history...
- Title
- Parliamentarians at the WTO
- Date posted
- 5 years ago
- Description
- Parliamentarians reaffirm their support for a sustainable and more inclusive multilateral trading system
At the 2018 session of the Parliamentary Conference on the WTO, held on 6-7 December 2018 under the theme of "WTO: The way forward", parliamentarians reaffirmed their support for a sustainable and more inclusive multilateral trading system.
Speakers in this video:
Margaret Mensah-Williams
Chairperson of the National Council of Namibia
Bernd Lange
Member of the European Parliament
Fabio Massimo Castaldo
Vice President of the European Parliament
Nurhayati Ali Assegaf
Indonesian MP and Member of the Asian Parliamentary Assembly
Margaret Mensah-Williams
Chairperson of the National Council of Namibia
Jean Bizet, Senator (France)
Hebert Choque Tarque
Supranational of Bolivia's MAS, Oruro
Japanese Ambassador Junichi Ihara
- Title
- The Future of Trade: World Trade Report
- Date posted
- 5 years ago
- Description
- What are the innovations poised to change the way we trade in the next 20 years? The World Trade Report 2018 set out to consider how digital technologies are transforming global commerce.
The report –World Trade Organization's annual publication about trends in world trade – was launched during the WTO Public Forum in October 2018.
Read more, download the report or order a printed copy:
https://www.wto.org/english/res_e/publications_e/wtr18_e.htm
- Title
- Interview: John Weekes
- Date posted
- 5 years ago
- Description
- From 1948 to 1994, the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) provided the rules for much of world trade even though it was a provisional arrangement and organization. Ambassador John Weekes, who represented Canada in the GATT and later in the WTO, talks about what led negotiators to create the World Trade Organization in 1995, and how it evolved until today. Amb Weekes was interviewed by WTO spokesperson Keith Rockwell.
- Title
- ePing – essential updates on product requirements in foreign markets
- Date posted
- 5 years ago
- Description
- ePing - online service for updates on product requirements in foreign markets
The world’s trading nations establish product requirements to protect human health and the environment. This can prevent some companies, big or small, from selling their products. WTO members are required to notify each other before adopting any new measures on product requirements likely to affect international trade and provide a comment period. The ePing online service, which is a joint initiative of the UN, the WTO and the ITC, has been put in place to make it possible for private and public stakeholders to rapidly access and discuss these notifications before the measures are implemented.
Speakers in this video:
Aik Hoe Lim
Director, Trade and Environment Division, WTO
José Manuel Campos
Mission of Chile to the WTO
Janelle Teemal
Trinidad and Tobago Bureau of Standards
Ruth B. Castelo
Consumer...
- Title
- Blockchain and international trade
- Date posted
- 5 years ago
- Description
- The bridge between Blockchain and international trade
Blockchain has the potential to transform businesses and society. It provides an easy and safe way to record value and assets, enforce contracts and share data on a peer-to-peer network. It is a decentralized, distributed and public digital secured ledger that uses unalterable cryptographic techniques. Blockchain technology allows products and transactions to be traced easily.
How can this new technology transform world trade? With its new publication "Can Blockchain Revolutionize International Trade?", launched on 27 November 2018, the WTO attempts to build the bridge between the Blockchain community and the trade community.
Learn more at wto.org
- Title
- Cotton days: Amb. John Deep Ford
- Date posted
- 6 years ago
- Description
- The WTO holds its “Cotton days”, two days of discussions around cotton trade, on 27 and 28 November 2018. Ambassador John Deep Ford of Guyana, who chairs agriculture negotiations at the WTO, talks about the importance of these discussions and how to improve the capacity of cotton producers in the poorest countries which depend on the commodity.
More about "Cotton Days":
https://www.wto.org/cotton
- Title
- Cotton Days: WTO’s Alan Wolff
- Date posted
- 6 years ago
- Description
- The WTO holds its “Cotton days”, two days of discussions around cotton trade, on 27 and 28 November 2018. Alan Wolff, WTO Deputy-Director General, talks about the consensus among WTO members to provide cotton development assistance and the difference it makes to people's livelihoods.
More about cotton:
https://www.wto.org/cotton
- Title
- Inclusive Trade in 2030: Public Forum
- Date posted
- 6 years ago
- Description
- How can we make trade more inclusive in 2030 and beyond? One of the topics during the Public Forum 2018 was how to make sure that more people – particularly youth, small entrepreneurs, women and people from least-developed countries – reap the benefits of trade. Speakers and participants at the event shared they vision for a more inclusive trading system.
More about the Public Forum:
https://www.wto.org/english/forums_e/public_forum18_e/public_forum18_e.htm
- Title
- A vision for trade in 2030: Public Forum
- Date posted
- 6 years ago
- Description
- What do you want for trade in 2030? Speakers at the WTO Public Forum 2018 shared their vision for a more inclusive, greener and innovative trading system.
Speakers in this video:
Abdoullah Cisse, Carapaces Stratégies & Conformités
Aisa Mijeno. SALt
Arancha González, International Trade Center
Bertrand Piccard, Solar Impulse Foundation
Caroline Freund, World Bank
Erik Solheim, UN Environment
Jack Ma, Alibaba Group
Laura Behrens Wu, Shippo
Roberto Azevêdo, World Trade Organization
Susan Lund, McKinsey Global Institute
Teresa Ribera, Government of Spain
Tunde Kehinde, Lidya
Xanana Gusmão, Former president of Timor-Leste
More about the Public Forum:
https://www.wto.org/english/forums_e/public_forum18_e/public_forum18_e.htm
- Title
- E-commerce and human relationships
- Date posted
- 6 years ago
- Description
- Public Forum: Laura Behrens Wu and Jack Ma share their views about the impact of e-commerce on human and trade relationships
At a Public Forum high-level session, Shippo CEO Laura Behrens Wu and Alibaba Group Executive Chairman Jack Ma share their view that e-commerce provides a much more direct and personal relationship with the end-customer than large retail giants.
Learn more at wto.org
- Title
- Erik Solheim: Good trade helps the environment
- Date posted
- 6 years ago
- Description
- Public Forum: UN Environment Executive Director Erik Solheim stresses the importance of trade to help preserve the environment
The WTO and UN Environment organized, as part of the WTO Public Forum, a Leadership Dialogue entitled “Making Trade Work for the Environment, Prosperity and Resilience” on 2 October 2018.
In this video, UN Environment Executive Director Erik Solheim expresses his optimism about international trade and environment moving forward hand-in-hand.
Learn more at wto.org
- Title
- Susan Lund: fast fashion and development
- Date posted
- 6 years ago
- Description
- At the launch of the World Trade Report 2018, which focus on how new technologies will shape the future of trade, McKinsey's Susan Lund talks about changes in manufacturing of apparel and how it may impact emerging economies.
Read the World Trade Report:
https://www.wto.org/english/res_e/publications_e/wtr18_e.htm
More about the Public Forum:
https://www.wto.org/english/forums_e/public_forum18_e/public_forum18_e.htm
- Title
- Bertrand Piccard's challenge to the WTO
- Date posted
- 6 years ago
- Description
- Public Forum: Bertrand Piccard's challenge to the WTO to support a healthy environment
A Public Forum high-level session brought together leading personalities to discuss trade actions which can accelerate the transition to a greener future.
In this video, Director-General Roberto Azevêdo and Bertrand Piccard, Initiator and Chairman, Solar Impulse Foundation, exchange ideas about how trade can support a healthy environment for the wellbeing of people everywhere.
Learn more at wto.org
- Title
- Trade 2030: The Future of world trade
- Date posted
- 6 years ago
- Description
- Description:
The session begins with the launch of the World Trade Report 2018: The Future Of World Trade: How Digital Technologies Are Transforming Global Commerce. Following the launch, a group of eminent panelists will bring their experience on how digital technologies are changing international trade and how international trade cooperation can help governments reap the benefits and address the challenges of digital trade.
Opening remarks:
Roberto Azevêdo, Director-General, World Trade Organization
Panellists:
Abdoullah Cisse, Professeur-Avocat, Carapaces Stratégies & Conformités
Caroline Freund, Director, Macroeconomics, Trade, and Investment Climate, World Bank
Susan Lund, Partner, McKinsey Global Institute
Moderator:
Robert Koopman, Chief Economist, WTO
Learn more at wto.org