WTO

The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) was established on October 30, 1947, as a multilateral agreement regulating international trade. It aimed to reduce tariffs and other barriers to trade, promoting economic development and cooperation among nations.

Since 1952, the WTO and its predecessor, the GATT, have been producing an annual compilation of trade statistics.

In 1988, a Ministerial Meeting was held in Montreal, Canada as part of the negotiations for the extension of the trading system. This meeting led to the elaboration of the negotiating mandate for the second stage of the Round.

In December 1990, at the Ministerial meeting in Brussels, there was disagreement on the nature of commitments to future agricultural trade reform, leading to a decision to extend the round.

The Final Act concluding the Uruguay Round and officially establishing the WTO regime was signed on 15 April 1994 during the ministerial meeting at Marrakesh, Morocco. This agreement marked a significant milestone in global trade.

At the conclusion of the Uruguay round in Marrakesh, Morocco, representatives from most of the 123 participants signed a declaration creating the WTO. It officially replaced the GATT on January 1, 1995.

Renato Ruggiero assumes the position of Director-General of the WTO for a 4-year term starting on May 1, 1995.

The inaugural ministerial conference of the WTO takes place in Singapore from December 9 to December 13, 1996. Disagreements between developed and developing economies arise over the 'Singapore issues'.

Seventy WTO members reached a multilateral agreement in December to open their financial services sector, promoting international trade and economic cooperation.

The Second Ministerial Conference of the WTO is held in Geneva, Switzerland from May 18 to May 20, 1998.

Mike Moore assumes the position of Director-General of the WTO on September 1, 1999, after a contested selection process.

The Third Ministerial Conference of the WTO takes place in Seattle, USA from November 30 to December 3, 1999. The conference ends in failure amidst massive protests.

The Fourth Ministerial Conference of the WTO is held in Doha, Qatar from November 9 to November 13, 2001. The Doha Development Agenda is agreed upon during this conference.

The People's Republic of China becomes a member of the WTO on December 11, 2001, after 15 years of negotiations.

On January 1, 2002, Taiwan becomes a member of the WTO under the name 'Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu'.

On September 1, 2002, former Thai deputy prime minister Supachai Panitchpakdi starts his three-year term as the director-general of the WTO, becoming the first head of the organization from a developing nation.

The Fifth Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO) was held in Cancún, Mexico. The conference aimed to address various trade issues and promote global trade agreements.

The General Council of the World Trade Organization (WTO) approved the 'July 2004 Framework' to advance the negotiations of the Doha Round. This framework outlined key principles and objectives for the trade negotiations.

In August 2004, the Geneva talks resulted in a framework agreement on the Doha round. Developed countries agreed to reduce agricultural subsidies, while developing countries agreed to lower tariff barriers on manufactured goods.

On November 11, 2005, the WTO General Council successfully adopted Saudi Arabia's terms of Accession.

The sixth WTO Ministerial Conference was held in Hong Kong in December 2005. Countries agreed to phase out agricultural export subsidies by the end of 2013 and terminate cotton export subsidies by the end of 2006. Further concessions included duty-free, tariff-free access for goods from Least Developed Countries.

On July 24, 2006, Pascal Lamy officially suspended the WTO negotiations following an unsuccessful gathering of trade ministers in Geneva.

On February 7, 2007, Pascal Lamy reported to the WTO General Council stating that the political conditions were conducive for concluding the Round. He emphasized the importance of political leaders' commitment to fully engage in the negotiations.

In July 2008, a ministerial meeting was held in Geneva with the aim of making significant progress towards concluding the Doha Round of trade negotiations under the World Trade Organization (WTO).

In November 2008, the Seventh Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO) took place in Geneva, Switzerland, addressing key global trade issues and negotiations.

The seventh WTO Ministerial Conference was held in Geneva from November 30 to December 3, 2009. The main purpose was to remedy a breach of protocol due to the Doha Round failure in 2005. The meeting focused on transparency and open discussion rather than negotiations.

In December 2011, the 'Chairs Programme' was launched to provide support to developing country universities in the field of trade-related studies, aiming to enhance their capacity and expertise.

In August 2012, the Eighth Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO) took place in Geneva, where member countries discussed various trade-related issues and policies.

The revised Agreement on Government Procurement of the WTO becomes effective in April 2014.

The Nairobi Package was adopted, which included the abolition of agricultural export subsidies.

Afghanistan and Liberia became the 163rd and 164th members of the World Trade Organization.

An amendment to the TRIPS Agreement entered into force, making it easier to access medicines.

The Trade Facilitation Agreement entered into force.

Roberto Azevêdo starts his second term as the Director-General of the World Trade Organization.

The Eleventh Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization takes place in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The World Trade Organization and the United Nations Environment Program host a leadership dialogue focusing on enhancing trade's role in sustainability.

The General Council of the World Trade Organization appoints a facilitator to assist members in resolving disputes regarding the functioning of the Appellate Body.

In 2020, the World Trade Organization celebrated its 25th anniversary.

Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala assumed office as the Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO) on March 1, 2021.

The 12th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization was held in Geneva in June 2022, gathering key decision-makers to address current trade challenges and shape future strategies.

The World Trade Organization holds its 2nd Ministerial meeting and commemorates the 50th anniversary of the trading system.