| Symposium highlights importance of WTO's work on easing regulatory bottlenecks | | At a symposium held at the WTO on 14 October, members and other participants showcased how the WTO can help overcome bottlenecks in supply chains by promoting regulatory cooperation. Speakers discussed the role of the WTO's Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) and the TBT Committee in helping members strike a balance between regulation and public policy objectives. The symposium flagged in particular the importance of regulatory coherence in the areas of environment, health and emerging digital technologies. | | Lees verder |
| WTO members discuss future work on trade in services following MC12 outcomes | | WTO members discussed how to follow up on outcomes from the 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12) and the way forward for the Council for Trade in Services at a meeting of the Council held on 14 October. Under consideration were the LDC Services Waiver, which seeks to boost the participation of least-developed countries (LDCs) in services trade, and the E-commerce Work Programme and Moratorium. The response to pandemics and WTO reform were also among the MC12 outcomes discussed. | | Lees verder |
| Investment facilitation talks intensify towards achieving "stabilized" negotiating text | | WTO members taking part in the negotiations for an agreement on investment facilitation for development (IFD) on 14 October committed to advance work in line with their aspiration of finalizing text negotiations by the end of the year and achieving "a good and meaningful" agreement. Participants were urged to resolve pending issues in order to achieve a single, stabilized version of the "Easter text" — the document used as the basis for the negotiations — that could be reviewed in its entirety. | | Lees verder |
| Standards transparency champions programme kicks off in Geneva | | The Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Agreement Transparency Champions Programme was formally launched on 10-14 October with an in-person course in Geneva. This pilot initiative aims to scale up the application of, and benefits from, transparency in regulation, and foster champions for transparency. The first cohort includes 26 officials from African countries with responsibilities for TBT transparency procedures. | | Lees verder |
| WTO-WCO workshop discusses update of classification system for traded goods | | The World Customs Organization (WCO) and the WTO held on 17 October a joint workshop to address the periodical update of the Harmonized System (HS) — the international nomenclature that allows countries to classify traded goods in a standardized manner. Participants in the workshop also discussed how updates to the HS can have an impact on legal instruments recording tariffs and other commitments by WTO members with respect to trade in goods, in particular on schedules of concessions. | | Lees verder |
| DDG Zhang welcomes Kathmandu University School of Management to Chairs Programme | | The WTO Chairs Programme (WCP) on 17-18 October launched trade-capacity building activities at the Kathmandu University School of Management (KUSOM) in Nepal. Speaking at the launch event in Kathmandu, Deputy Director-General Xiangchen Zhang said: "As Nepal looks set to graduate from its LDC status by the end of 2026, trade remains key to helping graduated countries increase incomes. … The Chair in Nepal can thus play an important role in providing intellectual support to the country by embarking on research and activities that take a long-term view of Nepal's economic needs." | | Lees verder |
| Members welcome enhanced WCO-WTO cooperation, take note of large number of trade concerns | | Members commended the efforts undertaken by the World Customs Organization (WCO) and the WTO to find more agile ways in which both organizations can work together to build resilience and improve preparedness for future crises. At a meeting of the Committee on Market Access on 18-19 October, members also heard a report from the Chair, Mr Kenya Uehara of Japan, about the experience-sharing sessions on trade in COVID-19 goods and discussed the increased number of trade concerns. | | Lees verder |
| Members welcome AfCFTA's role in fostering economic growth and development in LDCs | | WTO members discussed the potential of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in supporting economic growth and development in least-developed countries at a meeting of the Sub-Committee on Least-Developed Countries (LDCs) on 20 October. In addition to Djibouti and Togo's experiences with the AfCFTA, the Sub-Committee also heard about trade initiatives by members and partner organizations to help LDCs become more active in regional and global trade. | | Lees verder |
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