Weekly Newsletter
World Trade Organization
The WTO's goal is to ensure that trade flows as smoothly, predictably and freely as possible.
A round-up of WTO news and events
1 - 7 November
LATEST NEWS
European Council President: For multilateralism to work we need trust, trade and to transform
The President of the European Council, Charles Michel, has called on the international community to rebuild trust, boost trade and transform multilateral institutions to make the world more peaceful and prosperous. Mr Michel was delivering on 1 November the fifth lecture in the Presidential Lecture Series at the WTO's headquarters in Geneva.
DDG Hill calls for strengthened efforts to tackle emerging challenges at Import Expo
At the Hongqiao International Economic Forum on 5 November in Shanghai, WTO Deputy Director-General Johanna Hill emphasized the importance of ensuring that “trade remains a lever for lifting all livelihoods”. Delivering a message at a high-level session titled “China and 30 Years of the WTO: History and Evolution,” DDG Hill highlighted WTO members' active discussions on emerging challenges and encouraged China and all WTO members to keep working for a better future for all through the multilateral trading system.
China initiates dispute complaint regarding EU definitive duties on electric vehicles
China has requested WTO dispute consultations with the European Union regarding the EU’s imposition of definitive countervailing duties on new battery electric vehicles (BEVs) from China. The request was circulated to WTO members on 6 November.
LATEST VIDEO
Tracing the spirit of Marrakesh
“Tracing the spirit of Marrakesh” begins its journey in Morocco, exploring the impact of trade and the World Trade Organization on people, communities, and small businesses worldwide. Hosted by the WTO's Joo Eun Lee, this series shares real stories of how global trade has transformed lives over the past 30 years, highlighting economic growth, women’s empowerment, and sustainable development across diverse cultures.
Presidential Lecture: European Council's Charles Michel
The President of the European Council, Charles Michel, has called on the international community to rebuild trust, boost trade and transform multilateral institutions to make the world more peaceful and prosperous. Mr Michel was delivering on 1 November the fifth lecture in the Presidential Lecture Series at the WTO's headquarters in Geneva.
Greening Kenya's flower trade
Africa has the potential to be a pioneer in green trade, but faces risks, not least in changing consumer demand. In many of the countries that import cut flowers from Kenya, customers no longer want to buy airfreighted horticulture. There are innovative solutions within reach. The European Union and TradeMarkAfrica are working with the Kenyan private sector and Dutch trade experts to drive a decisive shift from transporting horticulture by air, to using maritime routes.
FROM OUR SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS
How does trade affect the income gap among countries and among people? Discover key insights from the WTO's 2024 #WorldTradeReport. For more: https://bit.ly/3MGZQve
The WTO is at the China International Import Expo @ciieonline, ready to welcome friends from around the world! If you’re in Shanghai, drop by our booth and meet the team on site! #CIIE
UPCOMING EVENTS
WTO Secretariat at Climate Change COP29 - 11-22 November
The WTO Secretariat will support trade-focused events at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, from 11-22 November 2024. Azerbaijan, with its COP29 Presidency, has scheduled the Climate Finance, Investment and Trade (FIT) Day on 14 November 2024 in cooperation with the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), International Trade Centre (ITC), UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the WTO. With the generous support of the Government of Azerbaijan, the WTO Secretariat and partners (ICC, ITC, UNCTAD) will for the first time ever host Trade and Investment House (TIH) pavilions in both the Blue (Pavilion Space B4) and Green (Pavilion Space D10) Zones. WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala will attend the World Leader's Summit and several high level events at the Trade and Investment House and other venues. Several knowledge products will be launched during COP29.
Empowering Women-led MSMEs: Unlocking Growth through Intellectual Property
The conversation "Empowering Women-led MSMEs: Unlocking Growth through Intellectual Property" is designed as a joint WIPO-WTO Solutions Lab of the Informal Working Groups on Micro, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (MSMEs) and Trade and Gender. It will explore actionable strategies for empowering women entrepreneurs to harness IP as a critical business tool. Panellists will focus on practical actions that governments and policymakers can take to equip women with the knowledge and skill to effectively manage their businesses. By fostering a more inclusive ecosystem for women-led MSMEs, we can unlock new pathways for economic growth and accelerate progress towards gender equality in innovation.
How AI shapes and is shaped by international trade
The conference will kick off with the unveiling of a WTO report on AI and international trade. Deep-dive sessions will explore the intersection of AI and trade in services, customs procedures, agriculture, and intellectual property; the challenges of regulating AI; the risk and impacts of regulatory fragmentation and of an AI divide; and the role that trade policies, the WTO and international cooperation can play to harness AI's benefits for economic growth and global trade while mitigating its risks.
WIPO-WTO Colloquium for Teachers of Intellectual Property
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the WTO are teaming up to organize the 20th edition of the colloquium for teachers and researchers of intellectual property (IP) law and policy from developing and least-developed members and observers. The colloquium will take place from 3 to 14 February 2025 at both WIPO and WTO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. Qualified candidates are asked to apply by 24 November 2024 via the WIPO eLearning Center.
Managing Director
1moWe need a change in our mind set to visualize the endless possibilities, as the digital era offers us the precision, connectivity, speed and dynamism to achieve it and constantly evolve with time.
KU Leuven. Business Administration
1moThanks for sharing