Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala met with the President of Iceland, Halla Tómasdóttir, on 1 July at the WTO. They discussed the current uncertainty faced by global trade and the world economy and emphasized the importance of collective efforts to tackle global challenges. Both leaders reiterated the importance of the multilateral trading system and the need for reform and repositioning of the WTO. DG Okonjo-Iweala complimented Iceland on its strong economic performance and its active participation in the work of the WTO.

1 July 2025

WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala emphasized the need to mobilize partnerships to support least-developed countries (LDCs) through trade at a high-level side event on 30 June 2025 at the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development in Sevilla, Spain.

30 June 2025

The eighth review of the trade policies and practices of Norway takes place on 30 June and 2 July 2025. The basis for the review is a report by the WTO Secretariat and a report by the Government of Norway.

30 June 2025

On 27 June, the Informal Working Group on Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) marked MSME Day, announcing two new Small Business Champions. At its meeting on 26 June, the Group continued discussions on implementing the 2020 MSME Package and strategies to prepare for the 14th Ministerial Conference, due to take place in March 2026 in Cameroon. Participants explored key topics, with a particular focus on supporting MSMEs in their digital trade transformation and sharing key takeaways from a recent session with the private sector on current trade challenges.

27 June 2025

At a meeting of the Council for Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) on 26-27 June, WTO members actively engaged in addressing key aspects of intellectual property (IP), including technology transfer, patent information and trade-related IP data. Members were also updated on notifications under various provisions of the TRIPS Agreement and continued talks on how to proceed on the review of implementation of the Agreement.

27 June 2025

During the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee week held from 24 to 27 June, WTO members discussed development-related issues, the role of technical assistance in supporting implementation of the TBT Agreement, and ways to enhance transparency and engagement on regulatory measures. Members raised 78 concerns, of which 20 were new.

27 June 2025

Global goods trade posted a strong uptick in early 2025 driven by importers frontloading purchases ahead of anticipated higher tariffs; however, weakening export orders suggest that this momentum may not be sustained. The latest WTO Goods Trade Barometer rose to 103.5 — up from 102.8 in March, while the forward-looking new export orders index fell to 97.9, pointing to weaker trade growth later in the year.

26 June 2025

New Zealand is contributing NZ$ 150,000 (approximately CHF 74,000) to the WTO’s Fish Fund to assist developing members and least-developed country (LDC) members implement the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies.

26 June 2025

On 25 June, the University of Lomé (Togo) launched its activities under the WTO Chairs Programme, a technical assistance programme focused on research, curriculum development and outreach activities in the framework of partnerships with academic institutions of WTO members and observers.

25 June 2025

On 25 June, the University of Lomé (Togo) launched its activities under the WTO Chairs Programme, a technical assistance programme focused on research, curriculum development and outreach activities in the framework of partnerships with academic institutions of WTO members and observers.

25 June 2025