World Trade Organization
 

WTO Reference Centre A Joint Venture of Government of Punjab And WTO Secretariat, Geneva

Background

The trade liberation has been a major contributor to increasing economic globalization. The WTO replaced the GATT as a result of Uruguay round of trade negotiations beginning in 1986. The WTO was created in the result of these negotiations. The purpose of it creation was to mitigate trade barriers of international trade as well as among different countries.

Introduction

The WTO's creation on 1 January 1995 marked the biggest reform of international trade since after the Second World War. It also brought to reality - in an updated form - the failed attempt in 1948 to create an International Trade Organization.

The world trade is growing day by day under the auspices of WTO regime. Liberation has been a major contributor to increasing economic globalization. The WTO's main objective is to help trade flow smoothly, freely, fairly and predictably. To this end, the WTO:

  • Rejects all forms of protectionism.
  • Removes trade barriers and eliminates discriminatory treatment in international trade through successive multilateral trade negotiations.
  • Provides a fair, predictable and open rule-based trading system through overseeing the implementation of multilateral trade rules and enforcing legally binding obligations.
  • Provides a mechanism for settling trade disputes.
  • Integrates developing and least developed economies into the world trading system.

Functions of Reference Center

  • To enable the stakeholders from private sector including business community/civil society, line departments, and media persons to have access to information regarding WTO
  • Introduction to the WTO. Overview of WTO's functions, structure, and role in the multilateral trading system, Doha Development Agenda, Cancun Fifth Ministerial Conference results, July 2004 Package
  • To provide the information to the stakeholders online as well offline information regarding Tariff commitments of different countries under WTO.
  • Introduction to the WTO and its different agreements.
  • To have the visitors' access to the information resources on the WTO Internet site General introduction
    • What's New
    • Trade topics
    • Resources
    • Documents Online - (public and private)
  • To assist the visitors to WTO data bases - Online-tools (Via Internet)
  • Integrated Data Base (IDB)-Trade and Tariffs
  • Consolidated Tariff Schedule Data Base (CTS)
  • To provide Statistical Data Base for countries of various regions
  • Services Electronic Schedules data
  • To help the stakeholders in course of getting information of multilateral trading regime in particular and in the context of globalization at large.

Documents Accessible-Offline

  • GATT BISD Basic Instruments and Selected Documents
    • General Agreement
  • Computer Based Training on Services CD-ROM
    • Agreement on sanitary & Phytosanitary Measures
    • Agreement on Textile & Clothing.
    • Accessing WTO electronic-Information V1.
    • Accessing WTO electronic-Information V2.
    • Agreement on Trade In Services.
    • Dispute Settlement.
    • TRIP a Short Course.
  • TPR Trade Policy Reviews
    • Trade Policy Review 1998
    • Trade Policy Review 1999
    • Trade Policy Review 2000>
  • UR the Result of the Uruguay Round
    • The Results of the Uruguay Round.
  • Trade Policy Courses
    • Accessions. mpg
    • Dispute-Settlement .mpg
    • E-Commerce .mpg
    • Liberalization .mpg
    • Market access Opportunities & improvements for LDCS .mpg
    • The Agreement on Textiles & Clothing .mpg
    • The Agreement on Agriculture & the Negotiations. mpg
    • The Agreement on Sanitary & Phytosanitary Measures .mpg
    • The Agreement on Trade & Finance .mpg
    • Trade-Policy- Review .mpg
    • TRIPS-1
    • TRIPS-2
  • WTO Annual Reports>
    • World Trade Organization Annual Report 1998
    • World Trade Organization Annual Report 1999
    • World Trade Organization Annual Report 2000
    • World Trade Organization Annual Report 2001
    • World Trade Organization Annual Report 2002
    • World Trade Organization Annual Report 2003
    • World Trade Organization Annual Report 2004
  • CTS Consolidated Tariff Schedules Database
    • Consolidated Tariff Schedules Database CD-ROM R5 Dec2004
  • WTO Toolkit for Negotiators
    • Toolkit for Negotiators
  • WTO Symposiums
    • High Level Symposium 15-16 March 1999
    • High Level Symposium 17-18 March 1999
  • WTO Website
    • EN1-WTO Web Site
    • FR1-WTO Web site JUL2002
  • WTO Conferences
    • Brussels 14-20 May 2001
    • Fourth WTO ministerial Conference
  • WTO Overview
    • WTO Overview
  • WTO Seminar Videos
    • WTO Seminar on Accession 15-16-July 2002
    • WTO Seminar on Accession 15-16-July 2002
  • WTO Web cast
    • Accessions
    • Disputes
    • GATT To WTO
    • To The Heart of WTO
    • Trade & Finance
    • Trade Policy Reviews
    • TRIP-1
    • TRIP-2
    • WTO Seminar
  • International Financial Static’s
    • Country Table
    • World Table
    • Commodity Prices
    • Economic Concept View
  • WTO Workshops
    • Notifications Requirements
    • 3rd Workshop 1-2 DEC1997 1 of 3
    • 3rd Workshop 1-2 DEC1997 2 of 3
    • 3rd Workshop 1-2 DEC1997 3 of 3
  • WTO Guide to GATT Law and Practices Analytical Index
    • WTO GATT Guide
    • The GATT Analytical Index
    • LAW AND PRACTICE
  • CTS Consolidated Tariff Schedules Database
    • CDROM Dec2004
    • CTS CDROM R6 June 2005

Documents Accessible-Online

  • Documents of Different Countries
  • Member Countries’ classified Data site
  • Annual Reports
  • Recent Negotiations on different Topics
  • Documents on Dispute Settlement Decisions

WTO Cell, Planning & Development Department
Government of the Punjab Civil Secretariat, Lahore
 
 
 
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