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WTO, rules, commitments, tariffs, standards, trade wars, geographical indications, and more
UK-EU tariffs, tariff quotas, services, media, leadership, GATT Art24, continuity deals, and more
Trade, direct democracy
Crisis, reform, negotiations, disputes, amendments, agriculture, access to medicines, trade facilitation
Headlines
UK-EU relations
Why it’s a mistake to talk about a ‘Swiss-style’ UK-EU deal
We waste time debating what the labels mean
Nov 22, 2022
WTO negotiations
Belief in the multilateral trade system is eroding, and that spells trouble A year to go to the next WTO Ministerial Conference. The atmosphere is worse than last time Feb 26, 2023
● India, S.Africa “can’t block WTO services deal” Feb 9, 2023
● What happened to the intellectual property talks? Dec 4, 2022
Ministerial Conference: After
Breakthrough, but the tough part is what happens next
With Robert Wolfe Jun 30, 2022 | Scorecards Jun 19, 2022
DEADLOCK BREAKING Are retreats the new WTO pandemic? Nov 13, 2022
AGRICULTURE Successful conference’s one big failure Jul 4, 2022 |
Thinking outside the box(es) Oct 24, 2022 | The retreat Oct 26, 2022
SINGLE UNDERTAKING Have we just seen its funeral? By Robert Wolfe Jun 21, 2022
WTO REFORM
● ‘Notification and review’ sounds dull but is essential for WTO reform | Texts: proposal and objections Jul 18–Aug 7, 2022
● Does ‘holding the pen’ allow WTO staff to influence disputes? Aug 22, 2022
Unlikely video star outshines trade big-guns Jun 21, 2022
Fisheries Subsidies
Updates, timeline and links Feb 28, 2023
● The 2022 text Jun 17, Nov 4, 2022
● The missing piece Nov 5, 2022
Now that it’s been agreed, what’s next? Jul 15, 2022
COVID-19 waiver
The waiver with notes Jun 18, 2022
● Updates after the Ministerial Conference Dec 20, 2022
● Earlier comparison with the India-South Africa version Mar 18, 2022
Ministerial Conference: Before
With Robert Wolfe
Touch and go at the WTO. Is the director-general’s optimism justified? Jun 9, 2022
● Good and bad news from the scrapped conference Dec 6, 2021
● The WTO is regularly in crisis — this time could be different Nov 26, 2021
Hamid Mamdouh on WTO reform Nov 9, 2021
COVID-19
‘Quad’ raise hopes of a COVID-19 deal and revival for the beleaguered WTO
Mar 17–19, Jun 11, 2022
8 reasons why countries disagree over a WTO intellectual property waiver
Feb 22, 2022
Delegates saved from grappling with declaration on pandemic Nov 26, 2021
● NGO letter on COVID-19 and WTO reform — listen or ignore? Nov 23, 2021
‘A lot rests on Members’ shoulders’: Sixth WTO fisheries text circulated Nov 10, 2021 If they agree, what next? Jun 17, 2022
● Updated timeline and links Jun 17, 2022
WTO reform
How wide to set the WTO window?
Thoughts on WTO reform and transparency. With Robert Wolfe
Photos by Jay Louvion Apr 26, 2021
Short: Summary
Long: 1 Transparency
2 External transparency 3 Negotiations 4 Does transparency help or hinder?
In search of the Wensleydale deal with Norway Jun 8, 2021
Ukraine conflict
Five takeaways from the WTO seminar on food security
Over-reaction is not the answer, delegates hear Apr 26, 2022
Ukraine—what Russia faces in the WTO system
Mar 4–Apr 26, 2022
Can a WTO member be expelled? No. But … Mar 23, 2022
AGRICULTURE talks
Draft ministerial documents on agriculture updated Jun 11, 2022
Domestic support in stockholding Two last-minute proposals for Ministerial Conference Jun 3, 2022 | Behind the rhetoric
WTO farm talks head into 2022 Chair’s draft hangs in the balance Jan 24, 2022
Draft shows little to harvest and The text Dec 9, 2021 | More below
NEGOTIATIONS: 2022
Explainer: The 18 WTO plurilaterals and ‘joint-statement initiatives’ Is work among only ‘the willing’ the way to go? Jan 3, 2022
Plurilateral WTO services deal struck after breakthrough text released Dec 4, 2021
WTO environment talks — official text with 70 members: China, US, Israel too and the text Nov 5, updated Dec 12, 2021
India and South Africa challenge alternative approach to WTO talks Feb 22, 2021
Dispute settlement
Crisis, but the WTO does …
Appeals in deep freeze since December 2019
Short: Why isn’t the WTO dead?
Long: Explanation Aug 21, 2019; May 3, 2020
Stop-gap: Arbitration, alternative appeals Aug 3, 2020
Another: Türkiye-EU arbitration Aug 30, 2022
… much more than disputes
Law of the jungle? Far from it
Rules-based trade is not just about disputes
Dec 11, 2019; Nov 14, 2021
● The ‘dead’ WTO is surprisingly busy
Jan 17, 2020
Primers
The WTO and implications for the UK, EU, Brexit
and international trade policy
These posts explain the WTO, how it works, its member-driven structure, and the UK’s and EU’s relationship with it.
What is the WTO?
What is the WTO? And is it undemocratic?
August 18, 2018
Introducing the WTO elephant and its dodgy health
December 17, 2017
Real beginners’ guides
Tariffs and the WTO July 28, 2018
Tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) and the WTO September 9, 2018
GATT Article 24 June XXIV, MMXIX
The 17 WTO plurilaterals and ‘joint-statement initiatives’ Jan 3, 2022
‘WTO terms’
They apply in any future UK-EU trade relationship. But how much?
Summary
Part 1 ‘WTO terms’
Part 2 goods
Part3 services and more
May 27, 2020
More guides
Geographical indications
What are geographical indications? And for post-Brexit UK?
May 5; September 26, 2018
Will ‘Melton Mowbray’ stay protected in the EU after the Brexit transition?
August 29, 2020
More guides
Standards
Standards, regulations and trade in goods
September 5, 2018
More on geographical indications
‘GI View’, Rolling over names
January 5 & 10, 2021
Problem trade
Dealing with problem trade measures — not just dispute settlement
December 11, 2019
The WTO is surprisingly busy — considering it’s supposed to be dead
January 17, 2020
More on the WTO below. See also archived primers, all primers
On Brexit
Brexit and WTO commitments, WTO rules, free trade agreements,
Brexit more generally, presentations and evidence
Brexit and WTO commitments
Tariff quotas
What’s really happening on tariff quotas and Britain’s WTO commitments? and Comments
Sep 12, 2018
The US splits its tariff quotas for UK and EU exports July 15, 2021
The limits of ‘possibility’: Splitting the lamb-mutton quota for the UK and EU–27 Jan 6, 2017
Post-Brexit tariffs
1. The Hilton beef quota: a taste of what post-Brexit UK faces in the WTO Aug 10, 2016
2. This EU tariff takes the biscuit. Plus a really nerdy look at annex 1 Aug 18, 2016
3. Oranges: a litmus test of UK post-Brexit tariff negotiations Aug 27, 2017
Tariffs
Four years on, still basic mistakes on tariffs at the very top of UK politics
September 18, 2020
Services
If the EU and UK fall back on WTO commitments what does this mean for services? Mar 11, 2020
Brexit and WTO rules
GATT Article 24
A real beginner’s guide Jun XXIV, MMXIX
Article 24 in depth Jun 27, 2019
One last go. The red herring in less than 400 words Feb 16, 2019
Iain Duncan Smith & co are wrong about GATT Art24, Brexit and getting out of jail Telegraph, Sep 2, 2019
GATT Article 24
The myth of a 10-year grace period, Brexit and trade talks with the EU
December 27, 2018
A bit of fun: Brexit through the magic land of Eksive
May 1, 2019
VIDEO GATT Article 24: They still don’t get it
YouTube, November 9, 2019
Leaders, rules, borders
UK and ‘WTO leadership’ Nov 8, 2017
How to be a trade champion Nov 21, 2017
The UK was already under WTO rules Feb 8, 2017
The Trade Facilitation Agreement and Brexit Aug 16, 2018 | Does the WTO require countries to control their borders? No and yes Jul 18, 2018
Free trade agreements, UK and EU relations
Rolling over EU agreements
The UK’s rolled-over deals after the Brexit transition January 1, 2021
Grandfathering EU free trade deals for the UK: a look at an actual text (S.Korea) Feb 13, 2018
● Text of the UK-S.Korea free trade agreement Sep 3, 2019
Text of the UK-Japan trade agreement, chapter by chapter Oct 24, 2020
● Which UK geographical indications are in its trade deal with Japan? Oct 26,2020
What have the UK and Switzerland agreed on trade post-Brexit? overhauled Jan 15, 2021
Types of agreement
Types of a possible future UK-EU trade deal. By Alan Swinbank, Reading University Jan 10, 2017
In a nutshell: Brexit and the UK’s trading relations with the EU in 5 graphics Sep 19, 2016
‘No deal’ on UK-EU trade is worse than ‘Australia-style’ Nov 30, 2020
Text of the UK-Australia trade agreement, chapter by chapter and in a single pdf file Dec 17, 2021
● UK-Australia deal: when a cap on farm goods is not a cap Jun 18, 2021
See also archived posts on Brexit, everything on Brexit
On Switzerland
Geographical indications
If Americans are confused about Gruyère cheese, blame the French
Or how to start a war among trade geeks Jan 13, 2022
Trade
What have the UK and Switzerland agreed on trade post-Brexit?
Feb 5, 2019; completely overhauled Jan 15, 2021
See also archived posts on Switzerland, everything on Switzerland
On THE WTO AND TRADE
Policy and reform, negotiations and rule-making,
dispute settlement
Policy and reform
Five takeaways from the WTO seminar on food security
Apr 26, 2022
Ukraine invasion—what Russia faces in the WTO system: so far
Mar 4–Apr 26, 2022
Can a WTO member be expelled? No. But … Mar 23, 2022
US politicians call for trade action against Russia Feb 28, 2022
Ministerial Conference
Touch and go at the WTO. Is the director-general’s optimism justified?
With Robert Wolfe, Jun 9, 2021 | Scorecards Jun 19, 2022
Good news and bad news from the scrapped WTO Ministerial Conference With Robert Wolfe Dec 6, 2021
The WTO is regularly in crisis — this time could be different
With Robert Wolfe, Nov 26, 2021
● Hamid Mamdouh on WTO reform Nov 9, 2021
Delegates saved from grappling with declaration on pandemic Nov 26, 2021
● NGO letter on COVID-19 and WTO reform Nov 23, 2021
How wide should the WTO window be set?
With Robert Wolfe. Thoughts on WTO reform and transparency April 26, 2020
Short: Summary
Long: 1 Transparency | 2 External transparency | 3 Negotiations | 4 Does transparency help or hinder?
(Photos by Jay Louvion)
the new director-general
Analysis: Let’s not get carried away Feb 5, 2021
First statements sail close to the wind Feb 18, 2021
US ends deadlock over selection Feb 5, 2021
Was the WTO choosing saviour? Or a butler? Jul 23, 2020
Dire first meeting shows size of Okonjo-Iweala’s task
If this was an indication of members’ willingness to listen to the new director-general they had picked, then she must be disappointed
Mar 5, 2021
Negotiations and rule-making
All articles on WTO negotiations, and decisions, consensus and voting
Fisheries subsidies
‘A lot rests on Members’ shoulders’: Sixth WTO fisheries text circulated November 10, 2021 If they agree, what next? Nov 17, 2021
● Updated timeline and links
● All on the fisheries subsidies talks
Plurilaterals
Explainer: The 18 WTO plurilaterals and ‘joint-statement initiatives’
January 3, 2022
India and South Africa challenge alternative approach to WTO talks
February 22, 2021
Plurilaterals
Plurilateral WTO services deal struck after breakthrough text released
December 4, 2021
WTO environment talks — official text with 70 members: China, US, Israel too and the text Nov 5, updated Dec 12, 2021
Agriculture
Pre-ministerial draft shows little to harvest in WTO farm talks Dec 9, 2021
● December text Dec 9, 2021
New draft suggests nervousness in divided WTO revised Aug 6, 2021
● July text Aug 3, 2021
Strange atmosphere Jul 22, 2021
Agriculture
Long read: From COVID-19 into 2021
1. ‘WTO rules are not prescriptions’ 2. What’s happened 3. Prospects
4. References Dec 31, 2020
History: the 20-year saga Mar 23, 2020
With Note on new approaches to domestic support Feb 4, 2021 and OECD support figures Jun 27, 2021
Agriculture
Five takeaways from the WTO seminar on food security Apr 26, 2022
Behind the rhetoric
‘Public stockholding for food security’ Aug 24, 2020
● New G33 proposal Sep 18, 2021
Is another ‘safeguard’ needed?
Aug 30, 2020
Intellectual property
‘Quad’ raise hopes of a COVID-19 deal and revival for the beleaguered WTO
Mar 17, May 19, 2022 | Text | Comparison
8 areas of disagreement over the waiver Feb 22, 2022
● All on the waiver
Intellectual property
Does new draft help? Jul 1, 2021
EU proposals Jun 5, 2021
Vote in WTO? May 19, 2021
WHO’s African ‘hub-and-spokes’ vaccine technology Feb 19, 2022
Bolivia’s bid to import a Canadian COVID-19 vaccine May 12, 2021
Intellectual property
If Americans are confused about Gruyère cheese, blame the French
Or how to start a war among trade geeks
Jan 13, 2022
What are geographical indications? Updated Jan 13, 2022
Dispute settlement
Crisis
Short: By Christmas the WTO will be dead — or will it? Aug 21, 2019
Long: A bit of bother down at the WTO court — is it a killer? Aug 21, 2019
Stop-gap: Arbitration, an alternative way to appeal Aug 3, 2020
Another alternative: Turkey-EU arbitration May 3–6, 2022
Technical notes
1. WTO Appellate Body members and their terms
2. Zeroing
3. Dispute settlement is not essential (but it helps)
4. Appeals into the void
5. Stages in WTO dispute settlement
Authorised retaliation
Spot the difference: US tariffs on Scotch are not part of a tariff war
BBC Question Time was wrong about tariffs. It matters.
Feb 15, 2020
It’s working
How the WTO deals with problem trade measures — it’s not just dispute settlement Those who think the Appellate Body crisis will drag trade into the law of the jungle are in for a surprise Dec 11, 2019; updated
The WTO is surprisingly busy — considering it’s supposed to be dead
Jan 17, 2020
Video
The WTO and the global trading system, YouTube, 54 mins.
With Adam Posen, Vince Cable, Stuart Harbinson, Peter Ungphakorn, David Tinline, Centre for the Study of Financial Innovation, Jun 10, 2020
US and the crisis
Optimism v pessimism: what to make of Tai’s Geneva speech Oct 21, 2021
Trump, Lighthizer were blinkered on WTO disputes Jun 21, 2020
The WTO needs fixing—but not the way this NY Times piece imagines Dec 27, 2020
See also: archived posts on the WTO; everything on: agriculture, trade negotiations (category, tagged), decisions, consensus and voting, trade facilitation, dispute settlement, G20
On Mastodon
Header photo: Norway reflections by David Mark, Pixabay licence
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