About WTOWorld Trade OrganizationWTO_5fe9d29e-9f96-11ea-a228-a09b3183ea00The World Trade Organization (WTO) is the only global international organization dealing with the rules of trade between nations. At its heart are the WTO agreements, negotiated and signed by the bulk of the world’s trading nations and ratified in their parliaments.WTO MembersThe WTO is run by its member governments. All major decisions are made by the membership as a whole, either by ministers (who usually meet at least once every two years) or by their ambassadors or delegates (who meet regularly in Geneva).WTO SecretariatWhile the WTO is driven by its member states, it could not function without its Secretariat to coordinate the activities. The Secretariat employs over 600 staff, and its experts — lawyers, economists, statisticians and communications experts — assist WTO members on a daily basis to ensure, among other things, that negotiations progress smoothly, and that the rules of international trade are correctly applied and enforced.Roberto AzevêdoWTO Director-General -- Roberto Azevêdo is the sixth Director-General of the WTO. He became Director-General on 1 September 2013, serving a four-year term. At a meeting of the General Council in February 2017, WTO members agreed by consensus to appoint Roberto Azevêdo as Director-General for a second four-year term, which started on 1 September 2017. DG Azevêdo made a detailed presentation to the February General Council outlining the successes that the membership achieved since 2013 and his vision for the next four yearsNationsParliamentsProducersof goods and servicesExportersImportersOpen trade for the benefit of all_5fe9d442-9f96-11ea-a228-a09b3183ea00To help producers of goods and services, exporters, and importers conduct their business._5fe9d51e-9f96-11ea-a228-a09b3183ea00PrinciplesWhat we stand for -- The WTO agreements are lengthy and complex because they are legal texts covering a wide range of activities. But a number of simple, fundamental principles run throughout all of these documents. These principles are the foundation of the multilateral trading system.Non-DiscriminationNon-discrimination -- A country should not discriminate between its trading partners and it should not discriminate between its own and foreign products, services or nationals.OpennessMore open -- Lowering trade barriers is one of the most obvious ways of encouraging trade; these barriers include customs duties (or tariffs) and measures such as import bans or quotas that restrict quantities selectively.PredictabilityPredictable and transparent -- Foreign companies, investors and governments should be confident that trade barriers should not be raised arbitrarily. With stability and predictability, investment is encouraged, jobs are created and consumers can fully enjoy the benefits of competition — choice and lower prices.TransparencyCompetitionMore competitive -- Discouraging ‘unfair’ practices, such as export subsidies and dumping products at below cost to gain market share; the issues are complex, and the rules try to establish what is fair or unfair, and how governments can respond, in particular by charging additional import duties calculated to compensate for damage caused by unfair trade.FairnessTransitionMore beneficial for less developed countries -- Giving them more time to adjust, greater flexibility and special privileges; over three-quarters of WTO members are developing countries and countries in transition to market economies. The WTO agreements give them transition periods to adjust to the more unfamiliar and, perhaps, difficult WTO provisions.EnvironmentalismProtect the environment -- The WTO’s agreements permit members to take measures to protect not only the environment but also public health, animal health and plant health. However, these measures must be applied in the same way to both national and foreign businesses. In other words, members must not use environmental protection measures as a means of disguising protectionist policies.Trade Negotiations_5fe9d5f0-9f96-11ea-a228-a09b3183ea001The WTO agreements cover goods, services and intellectual property...These agreements are not static; they are renegotiated from time to time and new agreements can be added to the package. Many are now being negotiated under the Doha Development Agenda, launched by WTO trade ministers in Doha, Qatar, in November 2001.Principles & ExceptionsSpell out the principles of liberalization and the permitted exceptions._5fe9d6b8-9f96-11ea-a228-a09b3183ea001.1They spell out the principles of liberalization, and the permitted exceptions. CommitmentsDocument individual countries’ commitments._5fe9d780-9f96-11ea-a228-a09b3183ea001.2They include individual countries’ commitments to lower customs tariffs and other trade barriers, and to open and keep open services markets.ProceduresSet procedures for settling disputes._5fe9d852-9f96-11ea-a228-a09b3183ea001.3They set procedures for settling disputes.Implementation & MonitoringMake trade policies transparent._5fe9da0a-9f96-11ea-a228-a09b3183ea002WTO agreements require governments to make their trade policies transparent by notifying the WTO about laws in force and measures adopted.ComplianceEnsure that requirements are being followed and agreements are being properly implemented._5fe9daf0-9f96-11ea-a228-a09b3183ea002.1Various WTO councils and committees seek to ensure that these requirements are being followed and that WTO agreements are being properly implemented.ReportingScrutinize the trade policies and practices of WTO members._5fe9dc26-9f96-11ea-a228-a09b3183ea002.2All WTO members must undergo periodic scrutiny of their trade policies and practices, each review containing reports by the country concerned and the WTO Secretariat.Dispute SettlementResolve trade quarrels._5fe9dd02-9f96-11ea-a228-a09b3183ea003The WTO’s procedure for resolving trade quarrels under the Dispute Settlement Understanding is vital for enforcing the rules and therefore for ensuring that trade flows smoothly. Countries bring disputes to the WTO if they think their rights under the agreements are being infringed. Judgements by specially appointed independent experts are based on interpretations of the agreements and individual countries’ commitments._5fe9ddd4-9f96-11ea-a228-a09b3183ea00Trade CapacityBuild trade capacity._5fe9deba-9f96-11ea-a228-a09b3183ea004WTO agreements contain special provision for developing countries, including longer time periods to implement agreements and commitments, measures to increase their trading opportunities, and support to help them build their trade capacity, to handle disputes and to implement technical standards.Technical CooperationOrganize technical cooperation missions._5fe9df96-9f96-11ea-a228-a09b3183ea004.1Developing CountriesThe WTO organizes hundreds of technical cooperation missions to developing countries annually.CoursesHold courses for government officials._5fe9e11c-9f96-11ea-a228-a09b3183ea004.2Government OfficialsIt also holds numerous courses each year in Geneva for government officials.Aid for TradeHelp developing countries develop the skills and infrastructure needed to expand their trade._5fe9e234-9f96-11ea-a228-a09b3183ea004.3Aid for Trade aims to help developing countries develop the skills and infrastructure needed to expand their trade.OutreachEnhance cooperation and increase awareness of WTO activities_5fe9e31a-9f96-11ea-a228-a09b3183ea005Non-Governmental OrganizationsParliamentariansInternational OrganizationsThe MediaThe General PublicThe WTO maintains regular dialogue with non-governmental organizations, parliamentarians, other international organizations, the media and the general public on various aspects of the WTO and the ongoing Doha negotiations, with the aim of enhancing cooperation and increasing awareness of WTO activities._5fe9e400-9f96-11ea-a228-a09b3183ea002020-05-26https://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/whatis_e/whatis_e.htmOwenAmburOwen.Ambur@verizon.net