WTO members confirmed on 1 April the appointment of Ambassador Ali Sarfraz Hussain of Pakistan as the new chair of the Committee on Agriculture in special session (CoASS). Ambassador Hussain will steer efforts to build momentum on agriculture negotiations, with a view to achieving a meaningful outcome at the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC14) to be held in Yaoundé, Cameroon, on 26-29 March 2026.

1 April 2025

The Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee brought together trade officials, regulators and private sector representatives on 25 March to discuss emerging trends in decarbonization standards, share experiences with traceability schemes for agriculture commodities, explore measures to reduce plastics use in food packaging and review regulatory cooperation for medical devices. Members also adopted updated notification formats and raised trade concerns at a meeting of the TBT Committee from 26 to 28 March.

28 March 2025

Enhancing the participation of least-developed countries (LDCs) in agricultural supply chains was the focus of an experience-sharing session on 27 March 2025 organized under the WTO Sub-Committee on LDCs. The event gave WTO members, development partners and representatives from LDCs an opportunity to share initiatives, insights and best practices. At a meeting of the Sub-Committee on LDCs held the same day, members looked at trade trends in LDCs and progress made on LDC graduation discussions.

27 March 2025

At a meeting of the Committee on Government Procurement on 26 March, parties to the Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA) 2012 welcomed the market access offers recently submitted by Costa Rica and Albania in the context of their respective GPA accession negotiations. Parties also agreed to increase access to historical GPA documents and noted the publication on the WTO website of compilations of green public procurement measures of various GPA parties.

26 March 2025

A meeting of the Committee on Trade and Development held on 26 March examined special and differential treatment provisions for developing economies, e-commerce, WTO technical assistance and capacity-building and duty-free quota-free market access for least-developed countries (LDCs). At a dedicated session on small economies held on the next day, members discussed a WTO Secretariat report on the challenges and opportunities for small economies in e-commerce.

26 March 2025

The third review of the trade policies and practices Cambodia takes place on 26 and 28 March 2025. The basis for the review is a report by the WTO Secretariat and a report by Cambodia.

26 March 2025

WTO members called for greater support for trade policies and regulations within developing economies at an Aid for Trade session of the WTO Committee on Trade and Development on 25 March. Bringing together Geneva-based ambassadors and capital-based government officials from WTO members, the meeting also welcomed the European Union’s 2024 Aid-for-Trade Progress Report. In an experience-sharing session held the same day, members stressed the importance of accelerating digital trade growth within developing economies.

25 March 2025

The WTO has launched the application process for the next edition of its Young Professionals Programme, a one-year opportunity for early-career professionals from developing economies to gain hands-on experience of trade issues at the WTO Secretariat. The application period is open until 22 April 2025.

25 March 2025

At the 24–25 March meeting of the Committee on Agriculture, the Chair, Ms. Anna Leung of Hong Kong, China, congratulated members on the successful conclusion of the third triennial review of the Nairobi Decision on Export Competition. Members also adopted a decision on the transparency of Tariff Rate Quotas (TRQs). Both outcomes are aimed at streamlining notifications and data reporting requirements and aligning them with obligations stemming from ministerial decisions. Additionally, members reviewed each other’s trade policies and engaged in discussions on food security and technology transfer.

25 March 2025

Deputy Director-General Angela Ellard called on participants at the 16th edition of the Monaco Blue Initiative to take action to address harmful fisheries subsidies at the WTO. She took part in a “fireside chat” on 24 March at the event, which brought together major players in ocean conservation and governance to reflect on key challenges facing the marine environment.

24 March 2025