Evolution of WTO

The following are the subtopics of the Evolution of WTO:

The GATT and its predecessors
The Uruguay Round
The Doha Round
The WTO’s current agenda

The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) was established in 1947 with the goal of promoting trade LiberalizationLiberalization. The GATT was a multilateral agreement between 23 countries, and it was the first international agreement to regulate international trade. The GATT was successful in reducing tariffs and other trade barriers, and it helped to promote economic growth and development.

The Uruguay Round was the eighth round of multilateral trade negotiations under the GATT. The Uruguay Round was launched in 1986, and it was concluded in 1994. The Uruguay Round resulted in the establishment of the World Trade Organization (WTO), which replaced the GATT. The WTO is a more powerful organization than the GATT, and it has a broader mandate. The WTO is responsible for negotiating trade agreements, for administering trade agreements, and for resolving trade disputes.

The Doha Round is the ninth round of multilateral trade negotiations under the WTO. The Doha Round was launched in 2001, and it is still ongoing. The Doha Round is the most ambitious round of trade negotiations ever undertaken. The Doha Round aims to achieve a number of objectives, including the liberalization of trade in agriculture, services, and manufactured goods. The Doha Round is also seeking to address the issue of development.

The WTO’s current agenda includes a number of issues, including the liberalization of trade in agriculture, services, and manufactured goods. The WTO is also seeking to address the issue of development. The WTO is working to ensure that the benefits of trade are shared more widely, and that developing countries are able to participate more fully in the global trading system.
The World Trade Organization (WTO) is an international organization that deals with the rules of trade between nations. It was established in 1995 and replaced the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), which had been in operation since 1947.

The WTO’s main function is to ensure that trade flows smoothly between countries. It does this by negotiating trade agreements, administering trade agreements, and resolving trade disputes. The WTO also provides technical assistance to developing countries and helps them to participate in the global trading system.

The WTO is governed by a Ministerial Conference, which meets every two years. The Conference is the highest decision-making body of the WTO. The day-to-day work of the WTO is carried out by the Secretariat, which is headed by the Director-General.

The WTO has 164 member countries. The most recent member to join the WTO was Somalia, which joined in 2020.

The WTO has been criticized for a number of reasons, including its perceived lack of transparency, its failure to address the issue of poverty, and its impact on the EnvironmentEnvironment. However, the WTO remains an important institution in the global trading system.

The GATT and its predecessors

The GATT was established in 1947 with the goal of promoting trade liberalization. The GATT was a multilateral agreement between 23 countries, and it was the first international agreement to regulate international trade. The GATT was successful in reducing tariffs and other trade barriers, and it helped to promote economic growth and development.

The GATT was based on the principle of non-discrimination. This principle means that all countries should be treated equally under the GATT. The GATT also included a number of other principles, such as the principle of reciprocity and the principle of transparency.

The GATT was a successful organization, but it had a number of limitations. One limitation was that the GATT was not a permanent organization. It was a provisional agreement that was intended to be replaced by a more permanent organization. Another limitation was that the GATT did not cover all areas of trade. For example, the GATT did not cover Trade in Services or trade in Intellectual Property Rights.

The Uruguay Round

The Uruguay Round was a successful round of negotiations. It resulted in a number of important agreements, including the Agreement on Agriculture, the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS), and the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS). The Uruguay Round also resulted in the establishment of the WTO.

The Doha Round

The Doha Round has been difficult to conclude. There are a number of reasons for this, including the complexity of the issues being negotiated, the different interests of the member countries, and the lack of political will. However, the WTO is committed to concluding the Doha Round, and it is working to find a way to bridge the differences between the member countries.

The WTO’s current agenda

The WTO is also working to improve its own functioning. The WTO is committed to making its decision-making process more transparent and more efficient. The WTO is also working to improve its dispute settlement system.

The WTO is an important organization in the global trading system. The WTO is working to promote trade liberalization and to ensure that the benefits of trade are shared more
The GATT and its predecessors

What is the GATT?
The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) was established in 1947 with the goal of promoting trade liberalization. The GATT was a multilateral agreement between 23 countries, and it was the first international agreement to regulate international trade. The GATT was successful in reducing tariffs and other trade barriers, and it helped to promote economic growth and development.
What were the predecessors of the GATT?
The GATT was preceded by the International Trade Organization (ITO), which was established in 1948. However, the ITO never came into force, and the GATT took its place.
What were the main achievements of the GATT?
The GATT was successful in reducing tariffs and other trade barriers. It also helped to promote economic growth and development.

The Uruguay Round

What was the Uruguay Round?
The Uruguay Round was the eighth round of multilateral trade negotiations under the GATT. The Uruguay Round was launched in 1986, and it was concluded in 1994. The Uruguay Round resulted in the establishment of the World Trade Organization (WTO), which replaced the GATT. The WTO is a more powerful organization than the GATT, and it has a broader mandate. The WTO is responsible for negotiating trade agreements, for administering trade agreements, and for resolving trade disputes.
What were the main achievements of the Uruguay Round?
The Uruguay Round resulted in the establishment of the World Trade Organization (WTO). It also resulted in a number of other achievements, including the reduction of tariffs and other trade barriers, the liberalization of trade in services, and the establishment of the WTO Dispute Settlement Understanding.

The Doha Round

What is the Doha Round?
The Doha Round is the ninth round of multilateral trade negotiations under the WTO. The Doha Round was launched in 2001, and it is still ongoing. The Doha Round is the most ambitious round of trade negotiations ever undertaken. The Doha Round aims to achieve a number of objectives, including the liberalization of trade in agriculture, services, and manufactured goods. The Doha Round is also seeking to address the issue of development.
What are the main achievements of the Doha Round?
The Doha Round has not yet been concluded, and it is not clear when it will be concluded. However, the Doha Round has resulted in a number of achievements, including the agreement on a number of trade facilitation measures, the agreement on a number of agricultural reforms, and the agreement on a number of services reforms.

The WTO’s current agenda

What is the WTO’s current agenda?
The WTO’s current agenda includes a number of issues, including the liberalization of trade in agriculture, services, and manufactured goods. The WTO is also seeking to address the issue of development. The WTO is working to ensure that the benefits of trade are shared more widely, and that developing countries are able to participate more fully in the global trading system.
What are the main challenges facing the WTO?
The WTO is facing a number of challenges, including the rise of protectionism, the increasing role of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in trade policy, and the increasing complexity of trade issues. The WTO is working to address these challenges, and it is committed to ensuring that the global trading system remains open and fair.
Question 1

The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) was established in:

(a) 1947
(b) 1986
(CC) 2001
(d) 2015

Answer (a)

Question 2

The Uruguay Round was the eighth round of multilateral trade negotiations under the GATT. It was launched in:

(a) 1947
(b) 1986
(c) 2001
(d) 2015

Answer (b)

Question 3

The Uruguay Round resulted in the establishment of the World Trade Organization (WTO), which replaced the GATT. The WTO is a more powerful organization than the GATT, and it has a broader mandate. The WTO is responsible for:

(a) Negotiating trade agreements
(b) Administering trade agreements
(c) Resolving trade disputes
(d) All of the above

Answer (d)

Question 4

The Doha Round is the ninth round of multilateral trade negotiations under the WTO. It was launched in:

(a) 1947
(b) 1986
(c) 2001
(d) 2015

Answer (c)

Question 5

The Doha Round is the most ambitious round of trade negotiations ever undertaken. The Doha Round aims to achieve a number of objectives, including the liberalization of trade in:

(a) Agriculture
(b) Services
(c) Manufactured goods
(d) All of the above

Answer (d)

Question 6

(a) True
(b) False

Answer (a)