WTO – 2014 Annual Report

 

The WTO’s Annual Report 2014 provides a comprehensive overview of the WTO’s activities over the past year.

 

The app is freely available from the App Store, Google Play and Amazon.

 

The PDF can be downloaded from the WTO website.

 

More Trade News in Brief – Week 6 (4 – 10 February 2013)

 

* WHO, WIPO, WTO – Medical Technologies and Innovation

 

5 February 2013

 

The World Health Organization (WHO), World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and World Trade Organization (WTO) released the “Promoting Access to Medical Technologies and Innovation: Intersections between Public Health, Intellectual Property and Trade”.

 

Find more about this study here.

 

                                       

  

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* Turkey – Mauritius Signed FTA

 

7 February 2013

 

Turkey and Mauritius signed a free trade agreement (FTA). Check here.

 

Read more about the Turkey’s FTA’s here.

 

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WTO – One Billion Tourists: One Billion Opportunities

13 December 2012

 

With the occasion of the estimated one billion numbers of tourists travelling this year, UN World Tourism Organization (WTO) lunched a new campaign One Billion Tourists: One Billion Opportunities.

 

The WTO insists tourists to respect local culture, presser heritage and buy local goods when travelling.

 

                                                                                                                        Credit: WTO

More Trade News in Brief – Week 34 (13 – 19 August 2012)

 

* CIS and Ukraine Signed an FTA

 

The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) signed an agreement allowing the free trade of goods and services with Ukraine, but it also has a list of exceptions ( such as crude oil, natural gas, sugar, and others).

 

More here.

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* Declining Optimism over Global Economic Recovery

 

16 August 2012, Paris

 

The  ICC-Ifo World Economic Survey, released by International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), shows that the world economic climate indicator fell as fear continues to spread about the unsolved debt crisis in Europe.

 

Please read more here. 

 

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* Tajikistan, More Closed to WTO

 

 17 August 2012

 

Tajikistan is entering the final stretch of its bid to achieve membership of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

 

Check here.

 

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* China & North Korea Stregth Cooperation

 

China and North Korea signed an agreement for the joint management and development of two economic zones at the border. 

 

Both North Korea’s Rason Economic and Trade Zone and the Hwanggumphyong and Wihwa Islands Economic Zone are on the country’s borders with China.

 

Fore more click here.

The World Trade Report 2012

16 July 2012

 

The World Trade Report 2012, published by World Trade Organization (WTO), exams the worldwide trade and public policies and the regulatory measures for trade in goods and services.

 

The main focus of the Report is on the non-tariff measures (NTMs) as technical barriers to trade (TBT) and sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures.

 

 

 

For more information please refer to next link and the Report can be download from here.

Easier Access to WTO for Least Developed Countries (LDCs)

6 July 2012

 

The World Trade Organization (WTO) approved proposals to streamline and facilitate the accession process for Least Developed Countries (LDCs).

 

For more details, please refer to the next news.

UNCTAD & WTO Launched the Handbook on Trade Policy Analysis

4 July 2012

 

WTO and UNCTAD’s Virtual Institute co-published the A Practical Guide to Trade Policy Analysis.

 

The publication is a addressed to policymakers, trade economists and development practitioners dealing with international trade and explain the tools and methods commonly used in the analysis of international trade and trade policy.

 

A Practical Guide to Trade Policy Analysis

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The guide is available on the next link.

More Trade News in Brief – Week 24 (4–10 June 2012)

* EU Starts Free Trade Talks with Armenia

 

1 June 2012, Brussels

 

The European Union (EU) and Armenia have agreed to begin negotiations for a comprehensive Free Trade Area.

 

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* Report on G20’s Trade & Investment

 

31 May 2012

 

WTO, OECD & UNCTAD published a report showing the negative impact of protectionist and discriminatory trade measures.

The seventh WTO-OECD-UNCTAD report for the G-20 on trade and investment reveals that government-imposed trade and investment restrictions continue to be an obstacle for global growth and development.

 

Please consult the report here.

 

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* Hong Kong-Portugal DTA Comes Into Force

 

On June 3^rd come into force the agreement for the avoidance of double taxation (DTA) signed between Hong Kong and Portugal.

 

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* Canada Starts Investment Talks With Benin and Burkina Faso

 

The Canadian government has launched negotiations on foreign investment promotion and protection agreements (FIPAs) with Benin and Burkina Faso.

 

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* India and Bahrain Sign TIEA

 

The governments of India and Bahrain have signed a tax information exchange agreement (TIEA).

 

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* Annual Asset Management Report: Facts & Figures in Europe – EFAMA

 

31 May 2012, Brussels

 

EFAMA published the Fifth Annual Review Asset Management in Europe: Facts & Figures (using data as at end 2010).

This report take a tour of european the industry looking at its overall size, general structure, asset allocation and client base.

 

Please see the Report.

More Trade News in Brief – Week 21 (14-20 May 2012)

* CIS Summit 2012

 

 15 May 2012, Moscow

 

Countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) reaffirm their commitment to tied their relations and to considered economic and trade cooperation a priority.

 

On 15^th May, the delegations of the CIS’s members discussed the ratification of the agreement on a free trade zone within the Commonwealth of Independent States.

 

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* Informal Talks on Information Technology Agreement (ITA)

 

15 May 2012-05-18

 

Under the WTO’s organization, several countries have announced their intention to start informal bilateral and plurilateral consultations on what products to add to the Information Technology Agreement (ITA).

 

More here.

 

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* South Africa – CPI & PPI to be Reviewed

 

 16 May 2012, Pretoria

 

The Government announced that the methods used to calculate the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and the Producer Price Index (PPI) are to be reviewed. More here.

 

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* EU Demands Accurate Information

 

 European Parliament has emitted a resolution calling for accurate information on customs duty and value-added tax (VAT) evasion in member states.

The aim argue was that the EU Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) is unable to recover misused money from member states or even to provide accurate data related to EU funds.

 

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* The 5^th Round Negotiation between China & Switzerland on FTA

 

16 May 2012, Beijing

 

On the last round negotiations, 8-10  May en Beijing, the two parts exchanged views on issues as: goods trade tariff reductions, trade in services, rules of origin, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, technical barriers to trade, intellectual property rights, competition policies and trade dispute remedies.

 

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* G8 Summit – “Acting Together”

 

This year’s G8 Summit, under the motto “Acting Together”, will take place on 18-19 May 2012 in Camp David.

 

More: EU & U.S. Department of State.

 

New WTO Members: Montenegro and Samoa

On 29 April 2012, the WTO welcomed Montenegro as its 154th member and the WTO will welcome Samoa as its 155th member on 10 May 2012.

 

More information about Samoa’s accession package.

 

More information about Montenegro’s accession package.