Recent World Trade Organization Notices
The World Trade Organization recently posted the following notices:
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- Committee on Trade Facilitation meets for first time. WTO members gathered on May 16 for the inaugural meeting of the Committee on Trade Facilitation, the body responsible for overseeing implementation of the WTO’s historic Trade Facilitation Agreement (here).
- Items proposed for consideration at the next meeting of Dispute Settlement Body. The WTO Secretariat has circulated a meeting notice and list of items proposed for the next meeting, on May 22, of the Dispute Settlement Body, which consists of all WTO members and oversees legal disputes among them (here).
- General Council advances preparations for MC11. At the reconvened General Council meeting on May 18, WTO members agreed a number of steps in preparation for the 11th Ministerial Conference (MC11), to be held in Buenos Aires this December (here).
- DG Azevêdo briefs APEC trade ministers on preparations for MC11. Speaking at an APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) trade ministers’ meeting in Hanoi, Viet Nam, on May 20, Director-General Roberto Azevêdo reported on the state of play in WTO work and on preparations for the WTO’s 11th Ministerial Conference in Buenos Aires, in December this year (here).
- Trade Policy Review: Switzerland and Liechtenstein. The fifth review of the trade policies and practices of Switzerland and Liechtenstein took place on May 16 and 18 (here).
- DG Azevêdo welcomes Japan’s leadership to strengthen global trade. Director-General Roberto Azevêdo praised Japan’s leadership in the multilateral trading system during his visit to Tokyo on May 22, where he discussed the WTO’s future work with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, high-level government officials and private sector representatives (here).
- WTO opens online registration for 2017 Public Forum. Online registration for the 2017 Public Forum is now open (here).
- DG Azevêdo visits Beijing to discuss trade and infrastructure. Joining a number of world leaders and heads of international organisations in Beijing on May 14 to discuss China’s "One Belt One Road" initiative, Director-General Roberto Azevêdo stressed the need for continued investment in infrastructure to support development, and that this must be underpinned by effective "soft infrastructure" in the shape of shared rules and regulations under the WTO (here).
- Viet Nam launches safeguard investigation on mineral or chemical fertilizers. On May 17, Viet Nam notified the WTO’s Committee on Safeguards that it initiated on May 12 a safeguard investigation on mineral or chemical fertilizers (here).
- APEC trade ministerial meeting, Hanoi, Viet Nam. Remarks by DG Azevedo (here).
- Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) event: “Current issues in global trade,” Tokyo. Remarks by DG Azevedo (here).