World Trade Organization: Issues & Developments

The World Trade Organization (WTO) was established on 1 January 1995, under an agreement reached during the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations. The WTO is the most important international organisation that governs world trade. It has 145 members and 31 observer governments and members represent over 95% of world trade. Agreements administered by the WTO cover a broad range of goods and services and apply to virtually all government practices that directly relate to trade, for example tariffs, subsidies, government procurement, and trade-related intellectual property rights. Coverage of the agreements is growing through negotiation. This book examines current issues of particular importance in an era of globalisation.