RT by @Trade_EU: The EU 🇪🇺 remains fully committed to #WTOreform and making the #MultilateralTradingSystem work for all! 🌎
The last @WTO General Council of the year is a stepping stone to #MC13 where we need to address critical global trade topics.

🐦🔗: https://nitter.cz/EUmissionWTO/status/1735239789958312289#m

[2023-12-14 10:06 UTC]

Two little questions for #WTO-addicts during the summer break

1. Did you know that two similar neighbours, Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, apply different versions of the WTO’s intellectual property agreement?

2. Did you know that since the #WTO was created in 1995, no new agreement or amendment has ever been fully ratified?

This could create problems in the future, even if consensus agreement can be reached in the first place: #InvestmentFacilitation, #WTOReform and more.

https://tradebetablog.wordpress.com/2023/08/03/wto-members-rethink-ratifications/

The US has circulated a new public document on its position in negotiations on reforming the beleaguered #WTO #DisputeSettlment system: https://docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/SS/directdoc.aspx?filename=q:/Jobs/DSB/4.pdf&Open=True

Here’s a short piece on the US paper⬇️

Why has the US published the paper at this stage? Who is the intended audience?

The US tries to be positive (what it wants, rather than what it opposes) but positions eg on security make consensus elusive

#WTOreform

https://tradebetablog.wordpress.com/2023/07/05/us-new-paper-dispute-settlement/

A new paper from 18 mid-sized developed and developing countries on #WTOreform, specifically better monitoring and discussion of how WTO agreements are being implemented, the evolving context.

It covers a range of possible improvements, from information-sharing to analysis and discussion in the #WTO.

Much is about transparency, but only among members.

The paper wants stakeholders to be involved. That requires EXTERNAL transparency, not covered at all in the paper

https://docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/SS/directdoc.aspx?filename=q:/WT/GC/W877.pdf&Open=True

New EU paper on reforming the #WTO's "deliberative" function

#WtoReform

https://docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/SS/directdoc.aspx?filename=q:/WT/GC/W864.pdf&Open=True

There is no agreement on what #WTOreform means or includes.

Were any of these discussed in Thursday's #WTO retreat?

● Dispute settlement
● Improving transparency and scrutiny of trade measures
● Re-thinking how an increasingly diverse group of developing countries could be categorised
● Tackling problems in negotiations, including among groups-of-the-willing when other countries are not ready
● Re-assessing the role of the Secretariat
● Relaxing the consensus rule

2/2 https://tradebetablog.wordpress.com/2022/10/08/retreats-pandemic-at-wto/#wtoreform

Like me, @mpaulsen was disappointed with the #WTO ’s staggeringly empty account of the retreat on #WTOreform.

“… equivalent to my 4-year old telling me they have done something in their room but they won't tell me what they've done.”

Since “WTO reform” so trendy but vague, we deserve more specifics.

@mpaulsen’s excellent Qs 🧵 ⬇️ are based on on a lack unanimity about the future of the global economy.

Parallel to my questions about what they mean by “reform” …

1/2 https://mstdn.social/@mpaulsen/109336793310321006