WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION (WTO)

 

WHAT IS THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION (WTO)?

The 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. The goal is to help producers of goods and services, exporters, and importers conduct their business......

WHAT WE DO

The 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).

WHAT 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.

OVERVIEW 

The World Trade Organization — the WTO — is the international organization whose primary purpose is to open trade for the benefit of all.

 

HISTORY OF THE A MULTILATERAL TRADING SYSTEM

From the early days of the Silk Road to the creation of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and the birth of the WTO, trade has played an important role in supporting economic development and promoting peaceful relations among nations. This page traces the history of trade, from its earliest roots to the present day.