Global goods trade continued to strengthen in mid-2026 despite persistent geopolitical and policy-related uncertainties, according to the WTO Goods Trade Barometer released on 9 September 2026.Goods barometer points to resilient trade growth despite headwindsThe Goods Trade Barometer is a composite leading indicator for merchandise trade, providing an earl...
A new report by the WTO Secretariat, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the World Bank examines how digital trade is transforming the way Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) economies connect to international markets and identifies opportunities to unlock further growth, inclusion and development for the region.New report highlights growth potent...
Global trade opens opportunities for economic growth. However, moving goods across borders, between exporters and importers, involves counterparty risk such as payment and liquidity risk. Trade finance facilitates trade by mitigating these risks.Using a new dataset, we find that volatile global financial conditions constrict the availability of trade finan...
At a meeting on 28 August of the Dispute Settlement Body (DSB), WTO members adopted a panel report regarding the European Union's anti-dumping duties on imports of fatty acid from Indonesia.DS622 European Union - Anti-Dumping Measures on Imports of Fatty Acid from IndonesiaIndonesia said it welcomed the panel's findings in DS622 and proposed that t...
The WTO will host the first World Trade and Tech Day on 14 September at its headquarters in Geneva, bringing together trade and information and communications technology (ICT) policymakers, industry leaders and other stakeholders to discuss how artificial intelligence (AI) strategies can better support economies' efforts to maximize the gains of intern...
World merchandise trade growth exceeded expectations in the first quarter of 2026 as surging trade in electronic components related to artificial intelligence (AI) offset the negative impact of the conflict in the Middle East, which began in the final month of the quarter. Trade disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz are expected to be more fully captured in ...
Brazil has requested WTO dispute consultations with the United States regarding additional US duties on products originating in Brazil as a result of two investigations by the United States under Section 301 of the US Trade Act of 1974. Brazil said the additional duties are above the duties otherwise applicable under the US harmonized tariff schedule. The ...
Uzbekistan reaffirmed its determination to complete its WTO accession process within 2026 at a meeting of the Working Party on the Accession of Uzbekistan on 27 and 28 July, soon after its last meeting in March. The head of Uzbekistan's delegation, Chief Negotiator Azizbek Urunov, stressed that maintaining a strong pace of engagement and addressing mem...
A new Trade Policy Activity (TPA) index by WTO and IMF economists shows a marked rise in trade policy activity during 2025-26, alongside heightened trade policy tensions among large economies, against the backdrop of an overall upward trend.The index shows that facilitating measures - those that ease trade by reducing barriers or improving customs procedur...
The most-favoured-nation (MFN) principle is one of the cornerstones of the multilateral trading system founded by the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and embodied by the WTO. It is often described simply as a non-discrimination rule, requiring that any tariff granted to one trading partner be extended to all WTO members. But its economic sign...
