Recent World Trade Organization Notices
The World Trade Organization recently posted the following notices:​
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- MC11 Opening Ceremony. Remarks by WTO Director-General Azevêdo (here).
- WTO issues panel report on US paper duties. On Dec. 6, the WTO circulated the panel report in the dispute brought by Indonesia in “United States — Anti-Dumping and Countervailing Measures On Certain Coated Paper From Indonesia” (DS491) (here).
- More than 40 ministers issue joint statement affirming support for the WTO. Ministers from 44 WTO members issued a joint statement on Dec. 11, underlining their support for the WTO and reaffirming the “centrality” of the rules-based multilateral trading system (here).
- Sixth China Round Table reaffirms commitment to LDCs seeking WTO accession. The Sixth China Round Table held in Buenos Aires on Dec. 9, reaffirmed support for least-developed countries (LDCs) who are seeking, or in the process of joining, the WTO. One day before the beginning of the 11th WTO Ministerial Conference, the Government of China renewed its contribution of USD 500,000 to the WTO’s Least-Developed Countries and Accessions Programme (also known as the China Programme). It also announced a contribution of USD 1 million to the WTO’s Trade Facilitation Agreement Facility Trust Fund (here).
- Ministerial Conference opens with signing of presidential declaration in support of WTO. The World Trade Organization’s 11th Ministerial Conference opened in Buenos Aires on Dec. 10, with a forceful declaration by four Latin American presidents pledging support for the WTO and its guardianship of the multilateral trading system (here).
- Members launch the g7+ WTO Accessions Group to help post-conflict and fragile economies. Just hours before the opening of the 11th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC11) in Buenos Aires, WTO members launched the g7+ WTO Accessions Group, a new platform designed to help post-conflict and fragile economies through WTO membership. The Chair of MC11, Minister Susana Malcorra of Argentina, presided over the launch, which included the participation of the Ministers of Commerce of Afghanistan, Liberia, Somalia, Timor-Leste and Yemen, as well as ambassadors from Comoros, Sierra Leone and South Sudan (here).
- DG Azevêdo urges parliamentarians to remain engaged in WTO issues. Speaking at a gathering of the Parliamentary Conference on the WTO on Dec. 9, on the eve of the WTO’s 11th Ministerial Conference, Director-General Roberto Azevêdo said that strengthening the multilateral trading system requires constant and ongoing work “so I urge you to remain engaged." He added: “The successes of recent years have put us on a positive path. Now we must continue this journey here in Buenos Aires" (here).
- New WTO book examines the impact of accessions on the multilateral trading system. The WTO launched a new publication entitled “Trade Multilateralism in the 21st Century: Building the Upper Floors of the Trading System through WTO Accessions” on Dec. 9, on the margins of the 11th WTO Ministerial Conference in Buenos Aires. The book draws on recent accession experiences to distill the impact of these processes on the constantly evolving multilateral trading system (here).