“Persistent” economic challenges continued to weigh on trade in 2016
Director-General Roberto Azevêdo’s annual overview of developments in the international trading system highlights the “persistent” global economic challenges in 2016 that continue to weigh on international trade. The report, which was discussed at a 9 December meeting of the WTO’s Trade Policy Review Body, urges members to work together to ensure that the benefits of trade are more widely spread and better understood.
The latest monitoring report shows WTO members introduced 182 new trade-restrictive measures for the reporting period covering mid-October 2015 to mid-October 2016, or an average of just over 15 measures per month. While this represents a decline compared to the average 20 measures per month introduced during 2015, the number of new trade-restrictive measures being introduced remains worryingly high given continuing global economic uncertainty and the WTO’s downward revision of its trade forecasts.
The WTO is projecting a 1.7% increase in world merchandise trade volume in 2016, down from its earlier forecast of 2.8%. If this revised forecast is realized, this would mark the slowest pace of trade and output growth since the financial crisis of 2009.
The report calls on WTO members to work together to ensure that the benefits of trade are spread more widely and are better understood.
DG Azevêdo said:
“Trade restrictive measures can have a chilling effect on trade flows, with knock-on effects for economic growth and job creation. In the context of a challenging economic scenario, it is more important than ever that WTO members adopt policies which will support trade and ensure that its benefits reach as many people as possible.”
The report notes that of the 2,978 trade-restrictive measures put in place by WTO members since 2008, only 740 had been removed by mid-October 2016. The overall stock of measures has increased by almost 17% compared to the previous annual overview, with the total number of restrictive measures still in place now standing at 2,238.
At the same time, WTO members have continued to adopt trade-facilitating measures. Members implemented 216 new trade-facilitating measures during the period under review — an average of 18 measures per month, slightly above the average 2009-2015 trend. These include a number of import-liberalizing measures implemented in the context of the expanded Information Technology Agreement.
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