WTO: Members review agriculture trade policies and COVID-19, defer talks on Bali TRQ mechanism

Members review agriculture trade policies and COVID-19, defer talks on Bali TRQ mechanism WTO members discussed agricultural policies and examined notifications at a Committee on Agriculture meeting on 23-24 September. Members agreed to suspend discussions on the Bali tariff rate quota (TRQ) underfill mechanism, with a view to reaching an agreement before year-end. The committee also... Lees verder DG Okonjo-Iweala launches discussion on "trade for peace" at Geneva Trade Week Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala launched on 27 September discussions on trade for peace at the opening plenary of the 2021 Geneva Trade Week, calling for a bringing together of expertise and knowledge that enables trade to nurture peace and peacebuilding. Jose Ramos Horta, former President of... Lees verder DG Okonjo-Iweala welcomes participants to 2021 Public Forum Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala welcomed participants to the opening of the WTO's 2021 Public Forum on 28 September, calling on them to "engage in serious thinking" about how to build a greener, more prosperous and more inclusive post-pandemic world economy. South African President Cyril... Lees verder Public Forum 2021: Introductory remarks by DG Okonjo-Iweala Lees verder Business groups highlight need for WTO reform, MC12 outcomes The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the B20 Italy, representing the global business community, highlighted the pressing need for reform of the WTO so that it can meet the challenges of the 21st century. At a session held on 29 September at the Public Forum, also attended by WTO... Lees verder Climate, pandemic, e-commerce, inclusivity — Public Forum addresses priorities for reform Senior representatives from government, business and civil society outlined their views on 29 September on how to make the WTO fit for purpose in today's world of trade. Addressing the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change, making sure WTO rules are adapted to today's digital... Lees verder Public Forum discusses how to help small businesses become more resilient Representatives of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) shared stories of resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic at a session held on 30 September at the Public Forum. Following a keynote speech delivered by International Trade Centre (ITC) Executive Director Pamela Coke-Hamilton,... Lees verder Public Forum reflects on need to strengthen collective action towards sustainable trade Participants in the WTO Public Forum called for collective action to address urgent challenges associated with sustainable trade, such as the overexploitation of fish stocks, the establishment of regulatory and policy principles on carbon border adjustments and the promotion of international... Lees verder Geneva Trade Week 2021 Opening Plenary — Trade for Peace Speech by Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, WTO Director-General Lees verder Global trade rebound beats expectations but marked by regional divergences The resurgence of global economic activity in the first half of 2021 lifted merchandise trade above its pre-pandemic peak, leading WTO economists to upgrade their forecasts for trade in 2021 and 2022. Lees verder