The WTO Secretariat has circulated a meeting notice and list of items proposed for the next meeting, on 29 June 2020, of the Dispute Settlement Body, which consists of all WTO members and oversees legal disputes among them. The meeting notice is circulated in the form of a document officially (...)
Leaders in private sector companies can play a decisive role in making sure that the immediate and socio-economic responses to the global COVID-19 crisis are inclusive of persons with disabilities and their needs. The ILO Global Business and Disability Network and The Valuable 500 teamed up to (...)
Tens of millions of migrant workers face unemployment and poverty during the COVID-19 pandemic. While many migrant workers, particularly women, are doing essential jobs for their host societies, such as health care, many others have lost jobs or work informally. As containment measures ease, (...)
On 23 June 2020, South Africa notified the WTO’s Committee on Safeguards that it initiated on 19 June 2020 a safeguard investigation on “U, I, H, L and T sections of iron or non-alloy steel, not further worked than hot-rolled, hot-drawn or extruded, of a height of 80 mm or more and other angles, (...)
Migrant workers are particularly affected by the economic and social crisis, which has put many jobs and businesses under threat, says Roberto Suarez Santos, Secretary-General of the International Organization of Employers. He calls for sustainable migration policies and says social dialogue is (...)
World trade fell sharply in the first half of the year, as the COVID-19 pandemic upended the global economy. However, rapid government responses helped temper the contraction, and WTO economists now believe that while trade volumes will register a steep decline in 2020, they are unlikely to (...)
It has never been more important to focus on the rights of migrant workers than during the COVID-19 pandemic, says Sharan Burrow, Secretary General of the International Trade Union Confederation.
On 19 June 2020, the Philippines notified the WTO’s Committee on Safeguards that it initiated three safeguard investigations: (i) on aluminum zinc sheets, coils and strips; (ii) on prepainted galvanized iron and prepainted aluminum zinc; and (iii) on galvanized iron sheets, coils and strips. It (...)
The multilateral trading system will continue to face challenges in limiting the harm to trade and the global economy resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, Deputy Director-General Alan Wolff said on 17 June. Speaking at a Think20 virtual panel on Policy Recommendations for a Post-COVID 19 (...)