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The importance of WTO
The WTO was established in 1995 as a result of the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations (1986-1994). It is an international organization that sets global rules of trade between nations. The core of the WTO system, referred to as the multilateral trading system, are the WTO agreements which lay down the legal ground rules for international trade as well as the market-opening commitments taken up by its Members. These agreements are negotiated and signed by all Members of the WTO, and ratified in their parliaments.
The WTO is composed of governments and political entities (such as the EU) and is a member-driven organisation with decisions mainly taken on a consensus basis. Membership implies a balance of rights and obligations. By October 2004, 149 countries had joined the WTO, with around 25 negotiating to sign up. A vast majority of Members are developing countries. The largest and most comprehensive entity is the European Union with its 25 Member States. Indeed, while the Member States co-ordinate their positions in Brussels and Geneva, the European Commission alone speaks for the EU at almost all WTO meetings.
The WTO's top level decision-making body is the Ministerial Conference, which meets at least once every two years. The latest conferences were Seattle (1999), Doha (2001 – which launched the DDA) and Cancun (2003). Below this, the General Council meets several times a year in the Geneva headquarters. Both are composed of representatives of all Member States. At the next level, the Goods Council, Services Council and Intellectual Property Council as well as numerous specialised committees, working groups and working parties deal with the individual agreements and other areas such as the environment, development, membership applications and trade agreements. Finally, the WTO Secretariat located in Geneva supplies technical support for various councils and committees and the ministerial conferences, analyses world trade and explains WTO affairs to the public and media. See more info on the WTO.
Currently, the WTO Members are engaged in a broad round of multilateral trade negotiations, called “the Doha Development Agenda” (DDA). In July 2004, Members agreed on a Framework Agreement that sets a clear agenda for the formulation of a new set of trade rules by the end of the DDA and decided that the next WTO Ministerial will be held in Hong Kong in December 2005.
Members and Observers
Albania 8 September 2000 Angola 23 November 1996 Antigua and Barbuda 1 January 1995 Argentina 1 January 1995 Armenia 5 February 2003 Australia 1 January 1995 Austria 1 January 1995 Bahrain, Kingdom of 1 January 1995 Bangladesh 1 January 1995 Barbados 1 January 1995 Belgium 1 January 1995 Belize 1 January 1995 Benin 22 February 1996 Bolivia 12 September 1995 Botswana 31 May 1995 Brazil 1 January 1995 Brunei Darussalam 1 January 1995 Bulgaria 1 December 1996 Burkina Faso 3 June 1995 Burundi 23 July 1995 Cambodia 13 October 2004 Cameroon 13 December 1995 Canada 1 January 1995 Central African Republic 31 May 1995 Chad 19 October 1996 Chile 1 January 1995 China 11 December 2001 Colombia 30 April 1995 Congo 27 March 1997 Costa Rica 1 January 1995 Côte d'Ivoire 1 January 1995 Croatia 30 November 2000 Cuba 20 April 1995 Cyprus 30 July 1995 Czech Republic 1 January 1995 Democratic Republic of the Congo 1 January 1997 Denmark 1 January 1995 Djibouti 31 May 1995 Dominica 1 January 1995 Dominican Republic 9 March 1995 Ecuador 21 January 1996 Egypt 30 June 1995 El Salvador 7 May 1995 Estonia 13 November 1999 European Communities 1 January 1995 Fiji 14 January
1996 Finland 1 January 1995 Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) 4 April 2003 France 1 January 1995 Gabon 1 January 1995 The Gambia 23 October 1996 Georgia 14 June 2000 Germany 1 January 1995 Ghana 1 January 1995 Greece 1 January 1995 Grenada 22 February 1996 Guatemala 21 July 1995 Guinea 25 October 1995 Guinea Bissau 31 May 1995 Guyana 1 January 1995 Haiti 30 January 1996 Honduras 1 January 1995 Hong Kong, China 1 January 1995 Hungary 1 January 1995 Iceland 1 January 1995 India 1 January 1995 Indonesia 1 January 1995 Ireland 1 January 1995 Israel 21 April 1995 Italy 1 January 1995 Jamaica 9 March 1995 Japan 1 January 1995 Jordan 11 April 2000 Kenya 1 January 1995 Korea, Republic of 1 January 1995 Kuwait 1 January 1995 Kyrgyz Republic 20 December 1998 Latvia 10 February 1999 Lesotho 31 May 1995 Liechtenstein 1 September 1995 Lithuania 31 May 2001 Luxembourg 1 January 1995 Macao, China 1 January 1995 Madagascar 17 November 1995 Malawi 31 May 1995 Malaysia 1 January 1995 Maldives 31 May 1995 Mali 31 May 1995 Malta 1 January 1995 Mauritania 31 May 1995 Mauritius 1 January 1995 Mexico 1 January 1995 Moldova 26 July 2001 Mongolia 29 January 1997 Morocco 1 January 1995 Mozambique 26 August 1995 Myanmar 1 January 1995 Namibia 1 January 1995 Nepal 23 April 2004 Netherlands — For the Kingdom in Europe and for the Netherlands Antilles 1 January 1995 New Zealand 1 January 1995 Nicaragua 3 September 1995 Niger 13 December 1996 Nigeria 1 January 1995 Norway 1 January 1995 Oman 9 November 2000 Pakistan 1 January 1995 Panama 6 September 1997 Papua New Guinea 9 June 1996 Paraguay 1 January 1995 Peru 1 January 1995 Philippines 1 January 1995 Poland 1 July 1995 Portugal 1 January 1995 Qatar 13 January 1996 Romania 1 January 1995 Rwanda 22 May 1996 Saint Kitts and Nevis 21 February 1996 Saint Lucia 1 January 1995 Saint Vincent & the Grenadines 1 January 1995 Senegal 1 January 1995 Sierra Leone 23 July 1995 Singapore 1 January 1995 Slovak Republic 1 January 1995 Slovenia 30 July 1995 Solomon Islands 26 July 1996 South Africa 1 January 1995 Spain 1 January 1995 Sri Lanka 1 January 1995 Suriname 1 January 1995 Swaziland 1 January 1995 Sweden 1 January 1995 Switzerland 1 July 1995 Chinese Taipei 1 January 2002 Tanzania 1 January 1995 Thailand 1 January 1995 Togo 31 May 1995 Trinidad and Tobago 1 March 1995 Tunisia 29 March 1995 Turkey 26 March 1995 Uganda 1 January 1995 United Arab Emirates 10 April 1996 United Kingdom 1 January 1995 United States of America 1 January 1995 Uruguay 1 January 1995 Venezuela 1 January 1995 Zambia 1 January 1995 Zimbabwe 5 March 1995
Observer governments back to top
Afghanistan Algeria Andorra Azerbaijan Bahamas Belarus Bhutan Bosnia and Herzegovina Cape Verde Equatorial Guinea Ethiopia Holy See (Vatican) Iraq Kazakhstan Lao People's Democratic Republic Lebanese Republic Libya Montenegro Russian Federation Samoa Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Serbia Seychelles Sudan Tajikistan Tonga Ukraine Uzbekistan Vanuatu Viet Nam Yemen
About the Author
Meet Amarendra Bhushan,As one of the leading article writer, and corporate hotel professional. Advisor to various organizations and great sports fan. He is an elected member of south Indian hotel and restaurant federation. Now staying at city of Athens Greece. Amarendra bhushan Dhiraj Athens, Greece PH-0030-6947667507 Abdhraj@mail.gr
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