The WTO Secretariat has circulated a meeting notice and list of items proposed for the next meeting, on 25 November 2024, of the Dispute Settlement Body, which consists of all WTO members and oversees legal disputes among them. The meeting notice is circulated in the form of a document officially called an “airgram”.

25 November 2024

A new report published today (21 November) by the WTO Secretariat discusses the potential impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on world trade. The report examines key trade-related policy considerations raised by this technology and discusses the critical role of the WTO in facilitating AI-related trade, ensuring trustworthy AI, and promoting global regulatory convergence. The report was launched at an event at the WTO attended by representatives from government, academia and the private sector.

21 November 2024

The World Health Organization (WHO), the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the WTO will hold the 11th Trilateral Technical Symposium on “Strengthening Manufacturing Capacities to Respond to the Non-Communicable Diseases Burden” on 13 December 2024 at the WTO. The deadline for registration is 9 December.

20 November 2024

Trade in intermediate goods (IGs) is playing an increasing role in Africa’s economic development. In recent years, IG exports have risen much faster than imports, leading to a significant reduction in the continent’s IG trade deficit. Africa’s IG exports (excluding fuels) in 2022 were estimated at US$ 312 billion compared with US$ 196 billion in 2019.

20 November 2024

The fifth review of the trade policies and practices of Paraguay takes place on 20 and 22 November 2024. The basis for the review is a report by the WTO Secretariat and a report by the Government of Paraguay.

20 November 2024

The chair of the fisheries subsidies negotiations, Ambassador Einar Gunnarsson of Iceland, on 19 November convened heads of delegations to seek WTO members’ views on whether and how negotiations on additional provisions to discipline subsidies contributing to overcapacity and overfishing could be concluded at the General Council meeting next month. The chair noted members’ various positions and said he will swiftly revert to members after reflecting further on the matter.

19 November 2024

At the 111th session of the Committee on Regional Trade Agreements (CRTA) on 18 November, WTO members reviewed five RTAs involving Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Chile, Malaysia, Montenegro, New Zealand, Türkiye, Ukraine and the United Kingdom.

18 November 2024

At a meeting of the Informal Working Group (IWG) on Trade and Gender on 18 November 2024, members took stock of the Group’s achievements in 2024 in advancing gender equality in global trade. Attention was drawn to the paragraph on trade and gender included in the Abu Dhabi Ministerial Declaration, the launch of a new policy tool supporting the financial inclusion of women entrepreneurs, and the inaugural International Prize on Gender Equality in Trade.

18 November 2024

At a meeting of the Committee on Trade and Development on 15 November, the chair Ambassador Ram Prasad Subedi of Nepal said that organizing a thematic session on challenges faced by developing economies was among members’ recent proposals on how to reinvigorate the WTO’s trade and development work. Other topics, ranging from crop diversification and resiliency to capacity-building and duty-free quota-free market access for least-developed countries (LDCs), were also examined at the meeting.

15 November 2024

Twenty-two senior officials working in health, intellectual property and trade from Central and Eastern Europe, Central Asia and the Caucasus (CEECAC) members and observers participated in a Regional Workshop on the Agreement on Trade-related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) and contemporary policy issues held in Vienna from 12 to 15 November. Participants had the opportunity to share their national experiences and exchange information on intellectual property, innovation and public policy issues.

15 November 2024