WTO monitoring shows that between mid-October 2022 and mid-October 2023, the value of world merchandise trade covered by new trade-facilitating measures far exceeded that affected by new trade restrictive measures, an encouraging trend at a time of uncertainty and tension in the global economy. Nevertheless, the WTO Director-General’s annual overview of developments in the international trading environment, presented on 7 December at a meeting of the Trade Policy Review Body, indicates that trade restrictions continue to weigh on global trade, with persistent export restrictions contributing to food price volatility.
A new joint report launched on 7 December looks into opportunities and challenges for developing economies arising from digital trade. “Digital Trade for Development” is a joint publication by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the World Bank and the World Trade Organization. The report explores specific policy issues, including the WTO’s moratorium on customs duties on electronic transmissions, regulation of cross-border data flows, competition policies and consumer protection.
