Opinion: WTO slides into a vacuum, EU slides into nationalism

Opinion: WTO slides into a vacuum, EU slides into nationalism

While farmers are protesting, the WTO continues to twiddle its thumbs

On March 2, the 13th World Trade Organization ministerial ended the same way most previous ministerial gatherings have. Member ministers discussed the burning need to change two key international trade rules (on ag trade and overfishing), and then everyone went home without changing any key international trade rules. This time around, the actionless talkfest carried



(Juanmonino/E+/Getty Images)

Farm trade dispute creates rift between Ukraine and its allies

Ukraine sues three EU member states at WTO

Brussels/Kyiv | Reuters — A dispute over agricultural trade created a rift on Monday between Ukraine and some of its strongest allies in the European Union after three member states imposed unilateral measures to restrict imports from the war-torn country. Poland, Slovakia and Hungary announced restrictions on imports on Friday after the European Commission decided

Australia, China not home free on trade relations

Australia’s minister for trade and tourism, Don Farrell, told China’s commerce minister, Wang Wentao, that “we still have some way to go to establish usual trade across the board,” at a meeting in Beijing May 5. In his opening remarks at the 16th Joint Ministerial Economic Commission, Farrell also told Wang that his country “can


File photo of a pedestrian crossing in front of the World Trade Organization headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland on Dec. 9, 2019. (Photo: Reuters/Denis Balibouse)

U.S. wants WTO dispute system fixed by 2024

Appeals body frozen since Trump era; Washington 'very committed' to reform

Geneva | Reuters — The United States is entering a third phase of talks with countries to reform the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) hobbled trade dispute arbitration system and aims for it to be “fully functioning” by the end of 2024, the U.S. ambassador to the WTO told Reuters on Thursday. The WTO’s appeals bench,

The World Trade Organization (WTO) headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland on Oct. 28, 2020. (Photo: Reuters/Denis Balibouse)

Canada, China agree to suspend WTO canola dispute

Lifting of canola ban renders case moot

Berlin | Reuters — Canada and China have agreed to suspend proceedings against Chinese measures affecting the importation of Canadian canola seed, according to a World Trade Organization (WTO) complaint on Thursday. The WTO Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) panel suspended its work as of Tuesday, the complaint said. Work can be suspended at any time


The World Trade Organization (WTO) headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland on Oct. 28, 2020. (Photo: Reuters/Denis Balibouse)

Comment: WTO steps back from the brink

But repairing long-standing problems still requires solid efforts

After decades of conflict that has neutered its work, the World Trade Organization looks to be back in business. Its highest decision-making body – a conference of ministers from the organization’s 164 member nations – has just met for the first time since 2017. None of what the ministerial conference (dubbed MC12 due to being

WTO director-general Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is congratulated by India’s commerce minister Piyush Goyal after the June 17, 2022 closing session of a WTO ministerial conference in Geneva. (Photo: Fabrice Coffrini/Pool via Reuters)

WTO strikes global trade deals deep into overtime

Deals reached on food security, health and fishing; formerly defiant India joins consensus

Geneva | Reuters — The World Trade Organization’s 164 members approved a series of trade agreements early on Friday that included commitments on fish and pledges on health and food security after more than five gruelling days of negotiations. The deals were ground out over five days of bargaining at a conference of more than