Director-General Roberto Azevêdo told the Trade Negotiations Committee on 27 April that “we still have a long way to go” on concluding a work programme on the remaining Doha Round issues by July, “but we are making progress”. “After many years of deadlock we are genuinely breaking new ground,” he (...)
On 26 April 2015, Seychelles became the 161st WTO member, ending 20 years of negotiating its accession terms with WTO members. “I am delighted to welcome the Republic of Seychelles as the 161st member of the WTO,” said Director-General Roberto Azevêdo. “This is great news for Seychelles’ economy (...)
The theme of the 2015 Public Forum, to be held at the WTO’s headquarters in Geneva from 30 September to 2 October, is “Trade Works”. Participants interested in organizing sessions at the Forum are invited to submit their proposals by 1 June (...)
WTO members were urged on 24 April to step up efforts in resolving their differences on key issues blocking progress in the Doha Round farm trade talks. John Adank, the New Zealand ambassador chairing the negotiations, said there was an “urgent need to move from repeating positions to working (...)
Workers who were victims of Rana Plaza were uninsured and intensive efforts to compensate them had to be made after the fact. The ILO says the accident is a wake-up call to establish national employment injury insurance so all workers are protected when accidents (...)
At a meeting of the Committee on Import Licensing on 21 April 2015, WTO members welcomed proposals by the Chair on how to improve WTO members’ compliance with notification requirements under the Agreement on Import Licensing Procedures. A workshop at the WTO headquarters was proposed as a means (...)
With 24.7 million people living with HIV in Africa, a new ILO report reveals innovative workplace strategies that have helped reduce risky behaviours, increase voluntary testing and reduce stigma and discrimination across the (...)
At 8:54 am local time on April 24, 2013, the Rana Plaza building collapsed claiming more than 1,100 lives and leaving many more injured. Over the past two years, the ILO has been working with its local and international partners on several fronts to improve the situation of workers in the (...)
At its regular meeting on 22 April, the Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) established a panel to examine a dispute between the United States and China over alleged subsidies. The DSB deferred the establishment of a panel in disputes between the US and Indonesia, and between New Zealand and (...)