TheWorldTradeOrganization(WTO)世界贸易组织

会计考友

　　The World Trade Organization (WTO) is the only global international organization dealing with the rules of trade between nations. At its heart are the WTO agreements, negotiated and signed by the bulk of the world’s trading nations and ratified in their parliaments. The goal is to help producers of goods and services, exporters, and importers conduct their business.
; a% v6 R0 ~1 y" ~. x0 O; d　　> WTO 10th Anniversary
& D( c% X  `9 n) S. K　　The WTO in Brief
( z" y1 O; |: [- [$ [- c　　A starting point for essential information about the WTO.
　　> Browse html version online
　　> Download in pdf format (8 pages, 402 KB, opens in a new window)
% ?# K' z& P- W+ A4 X( O　　About the WTO — ‘Understanding the WTO’
　　An introduction, in more depth, to the WTO and its agreements.
; o; o" L7 {- @; M9 k　　Browse
　　> Browse html version online “revised February 2007”
　　Download whole document
# ~5 o7 N$ H6 r5 S　　> Download in pdf format (116 pages; 1298KB, opens in a new window)
　　Download by chapter (pdf format):
: q) _/ \4 A- G8 e8 K　　> Chapter 1: Basics (23 pages; 366KB, opens in a new window)
　　> Chapter 2: The Agreements (31 pages; 284KB, opens in a new window)
2 |; r7 g( v3 x) Y* e　　> Chapter 3: Settling disputes (7 pages; 134KB, opens in a new window)
0 [: B4 v) M' X　　> Chapter 4: Cross-cutting and new issues (13 pages; 134KB, opens in a new window)
; J* a5 N4 J% H0 x　　> Chapter 5: The Doha Agenda (15 pages; 240KB, opens in a new window)
/ z* }) Y  q" w9 o& L　　> Chapter 6: Developing Countries (7 pages; 147KB, opens in a new window)
8 F) j! H  ?$ d  x% u# `　　> Chapter 7: The Organization (12 pages; 185KB, opens in a new window)
　　10 benefits of the WTO trading system
' [* ~  r) n1 [. s) C5 H7 b; ^1 K　　From the money in our pockets and the goods and services that we use, to a more peaceful world — the WTO and the trading system offer a range of benefits, some well-known, others not so obvious.
　　> Browse html version online
( p7 [8 e; v: @6 ]) v! u% O1 X　　> Download in pdf format (18 pages, 350KB, opens in a new window)
6 D, \& Y6 e8 R　　10 common misunderstandings about the WTO
% E2 K; g% }2 m  _  h, |6 T# M/ G　　Is it a dictatorial tool of the rich and powerful? Does it destroy jobs? Does it ignore the concerns of health, the environment and development?
5 L6 [" A/ u/ x8 D* z4 F　　Emphatically no. Criticisms of the WTO are often based on fundamental misunderstandings of the way the WTO works.
　　> Browse html version online
( B, P% ?0 x$ h　　> Download in pdf format (14 pages, 261 KB, opens in a new window)
　　Multimedia presentations
, ]* {6 @5 b9 Q8 o6 X　　> Overview of the WTO — Includes a self-evaluation section
% e. O6 F5 z/ C+ t　　Videos
　　> From GATT to WTO
* u: J" z7 p* \4 [4 D9 F　　> To the heart of the WTO
　　> Basic principles of the WTO system
　　> Why is it important to liberalize?
　　> A virtual tour of the WTO
　　WTO/CPA booklet for MPs
　　The WTO and Commonwealth Parliamentary Association have published a new booklet on the multilateral trading system, based on regional workshops for African and Caribbean Parliamentarians held in Cape Town and Port-of-Spain in 2003.
# r: Y& m" F* l- J　　> Download (pdf format, 36 pages, 1.4MB, opens in a new window)
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　　A word of caution: the fine print
. l- Y1 p. U5 `1 f$ O　　While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the texts in this introductory section, they cannot be taken as an official legal interpretation of the agreements.
　　In addition, some simplifications are used in order to keep the text simple and clear. In particular, the words “country” and “nation” are frequently used to describe WTO members, whereas a few members are officially “customs territories”, and not necessarily countries in the usual sense of the word (see list of members). The same applies when participants in trade negotiations are called “countries” or “nations”.
　　Where there is little risk of misunderstanding, the word “member” is dropped from “member countries (nations, governments)”, for example in the descriptions of the WTO agreements. Naturally, the agreements and commitments do not apply to non-members.
　　In some parts of the text, GATT is described as an “international organization”. The phrase reflects GATT's de facto role before the WTO was created, and it is used simplistically here to help readers understand that role. As the text points out, this role was always ad hoc, without a proper legal foundation. International law did not recognize GATT as an organization. For simplicity, the text also uses the term “GATT members”. Officially, GATT signatories were “contracting parties”.