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WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATION
WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION

( WTO) IS AN INTER GOVERNMENTAL

ORGANIZATION , WHICH REGULATES
THE INTERNATIONAL TRADE .

THE WTO OFFICIALLY COMMENCED

ON 1 JAN 1995.

WTO REPLACED THE GENERAL

AGREEMENT ON TARIFFS AND TRADE
(GATT) WHICH COMMENCED IN 1948.

WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATION
THE CURRENT DIRECTOR GENERAL OF WTO IS
ROBERTO AZEVEDO .

THE HEAD QUARTERS SITUATED AT GENEVA ,

SWITZERLAND

FUNCTIONS OF WTO

ADMINISTER THE IMPLEMENTATION ,

ADMINISTRATION AND OPERATION O F

ADMINISTRATE TRADE POLICY REVIEW

MECHANISM

MULTILATERAL & PLURILATERAL AGREEMENT.

MONITOR THE NATIONAL TRADE POLICIES

CO-OPERATE WITH THE OTHER INTERNATIONAL

FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS

FURTHERING LIBERALIZATION NEGOTIATIONS

PROVIDE FORUM AMONG FOR NEGOTIATION

AMONG ITS MEMBERS CONCERN THEIR
TRADE RELATIONS
WTO ADMINISTER AND GOVERNS THE
SETTLEMENT OF DISPUTES
CO-OPERATE WITH THE IMF & WORLD BANK

PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR

DEVELOPING NATIONS

ADMINISTER THE EXISTING TRADE AGREEMENTS

FUNCTIONS ( CONTD.)

ENSURE OPTIMUM UTILIZATION OF

RESOURCES

PROVIDE PLATFORM TO THE MEMBER

NATIONS TO DECIDE THE FUTURE
STRATEGIES RELATED TO TARIFF & TRADE

REGULATE THE TRADE BETWEEN THE

PARTICIPATING COUNTRIES

ENFORCE THE TRADE LAWS AND

AGREEMENTS

ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE OF WTO

MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE IS THE TOP OF
THE STRUCTURAL ORGANIZATION OF THE
WTO

IT IS THE SUPREME GOVERNING BODY

WHICH MAKES ULTIMATE DECISIONS ON
ALL MATTERS.

IT IS CONSTITUTED BY REPRESENTATIVES
OF ( USUALLY, MINISTERS OF TRADE ) ALL
THE COUNTRIES

GENERAL COUNCIL
THE GENERAL COUNCIL CONSIST OF
REPRESENTATIVES OF ALL MEMBER
NATIONS

IT IS THE REAL ENGINE OF WTO AND

ACT BEHALF OF THE MINISTERIAL
CONFERENCE

IT ACT AS DISPUTE SETTLEMENT BODY

AS WELL AS THE TRADE REVIEW
POLICY BODY

COUNCIL FOR TRADE IN GOODS

THERE ARE 11 COMMITTEES UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE GOODS
COUNCIL EACH WITH A SPECIFIC TASK.

ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE WTO PARTICIPATE IN THE COMMITTEES.

THE TEXTILES MONITORING BODY IS SEPERARE FROM THE OTHER
COMMITTEES BUT STILL UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF GOODS COUNCIL.

THE BODY HAS ITS OWN CHAIRMAN AND ONLY 10 MEMBERS

THE BODY HAS SEVERAL GROUPS RELATING TO TEXTILES

COUNCIL FOR TRIPS

THIS COUCIL DEALS WITH INFORMATION ON INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY IN THE
WTO

NEWS AND OFFICIAL RECORDS OF THE ACTIVITIES OF THE TRIPS COUNCIL

AND DETAILS OF WTOS WORK WITH OTHER INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
IN THE FIELD

COUNCIL FOR TRADE IN SERVICES

THIS IS OPERATE UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF THE GENERAL COUNCIL
IT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR OVERSEEING THE FUNCTIONING OF THE GENERAL
AGREEMENT ON TRADE IN SERVICES (GATS)

IT IS OPEN TO ALL
REQUIRED

WTO MEMBER AND CAN CREATE SUBSIDIARY BODIES AS

TRADE NEGOTIATIONS COMMITTEE

THE TRADE NEGOTIATIONS COMMITTEE ( TNC ) IS THE COMMITTEE THAT DEALS
WITH THE CURRENT TRADE TALKS ROUND

THE CHAIR IS WTOS DIRECTOR GENERAL

THE COMMITTEE IS CURRENTLY TASKED WITH THE DOHA DEVELOPMENT
ROUND

SERVICE COUNCIL
IT HAS 3 SUBSIDIARY BODIES NAMELY : FINANCIAL SERVICES , DOMESTIC
REGULATIONS , GATS RULES AND SPECIFIC COMMITMENTS

WTO SECRETARIAT
SITUATED IN GENEVA
THERE HAS 601 REGULAR STAFF AND HEADED BY A DIRECTOR GENERAL
THE SECRETARIAT HAVE NO DECISION MAKING POWERS
MAIN DUTIES TO SUPPLY TECHNICAL AND PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT FOR VARIOUS COUNCILS AND
COMMITTEES

TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

TO MONITOR AND ANALYZE DEVELOPMENTS IN WORLD TRADE
TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC AND THE MEDIA
TO ORGANIZE THE MINISTERIAL CONFERENCES

WTO SECRETARIAT
IT PROVIDES SOME FORMS OF LEGAL ASSISTANCE IN THE DISPUTE
SETTLEMENT PROCESS

ADVISES GOVERNMENTS WISHING TO BECOME MEMBERS OF THE WTO

PROFESSIONAL STAFF CONSIST MOSTLY ECONOMISTS , LAWYERS & OTHERS
WITH A SPECIALIZATION IN INTERNATIONAL TRADE POLICY

THE WORKING LANGUAGES OF THE WTO ARE ENGLISH , FRENCH

& SPANISH

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