A new Trade Policy Activity (TPA) index by WTO and IMF economists shows a marked rise in trade policy activity during 2025-26, alongside heightened trade policy tensions among large economies, against the backdrop of an overall upward trend.

23 July 2026

In my previous two posts on the value of the WTO, I argued that when governments set trade policies independently, they focus on domestic effects but often overlook the costs imposed on trading partners. International trade agreements help governments take account of these cross-border spillovers (terms-of-trade externalities) by encouraging reciprocal negotiations over trade policy. While these negotiations will reduce trade protection, they will not necessarily lead to free trade. But if governments do not generally commit themselves to free trade, why has freedom of transit for goods been seen differently?

23 July 2026

The Eighth review of the trade policies and practices of India takes place on 21 and 23 July 2026. The basis for the review is a report by the WTO Secretariat and a report by the Government of India.

21 July 2026

On 17 July 2026, the United States notified the WTO’s Committee on Safeguards that it had initiated on 13 July 2026 a safeguard investigation on imports of lamb meat.

17 July 2026

16 July 2026

WTO members reached consensus on 16 July on a slate of names of the chairpersons for 13 subsidiary bodies that report to the Council for Trade in Goods.

16 July 2026

Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala called on WTO members to make simultaneous progress on reforming the organization as well as on outstanding negotiating topics, urging delegations to "collectively advance the two sides of the same coin". She made her remarks at a 14-15 July General Council meeting where she reviewed work undertaken since the WTO's 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14) in late March and where members adopted several decisions in favour of developing and least-developed country members.

14 July 2026

On 14 July 2026, South Africa notified the WTO’s Committee on Safeguards regarding the initiation on 10 July 2026 of a safeguard investigation on certain cold-rolled products of iron and steel imported into the Southern African Customs Union (SACU).

14 July 2026

Trade in urea and phosphate fertilizers has been severely disrupted by the conflict in the Persian Gulf, according to data analysed by the WTO Secretariat. Certain economies in Africa and Asia are particularly vulnerable to resulting fertilizer shortages and price hikes. Opening of the Strait of Hormuz – a key channel for fertilizer trade - will in due course contribute to easing trade frictions and restore stability to global markets.

10 July 2026

At its meeting on 7-10 July, the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee tackled a broad agenda, including standards for critical and emerging technologies, climate-resilient buildings and lithium-ion batteries. The Committee also adopted improvements to transparency procedures and related digital tools and reviewed 70 specific trade concerns raised by members.

10 July 2026