GENEVA, Switzerland – The World Trade Organization (WTO) Secretariat has launched a new resource hub for parliamentarians on the WTO website, with the aim of providing legislators with timely updates on trade issues, direct access to key resources and information on training opportunities related to the multilateral trading system.
The hub is intended to strengthen the link between parliaments and global trade rules, providing guidance to parliamentarians on the ratification of WTO agreements, the implementation of commitments and engagement on trade issues.
Legislators are central to the functioning of the multilateral trading system: their scrutiny and adoption of WTO agreements and their oversight of trade commitments ensure trade rules are anchored in national institutions with public accountability. By making WTO news, the WTO agreements, trade statistics and training opportunities more accessible, the hub is designed to support parliamentarians in their engagement with WTO-related work.
The hub highlights developments of direct relevance to legislators, including the entry into force of the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies and the latest state of play in trade negotiations.
The Fisheries Subsidies Agreement illustrates the importance of parliamentary engagement: it entered into force once two-thirds of members had deposited their instruments of acceptance, underscoring the decisive role of legislators in the Agreement’s incorporation into the WTO’s legal framework. With the protocol still open for acceptance by members that are still to ratify it, continued engagement by parliamentarians remains essential.
The hub also draws attention to training and capacity-building opportunities for parliamentarians, from workshops to e-learning activities, and highlights opportunities to engage in events such as the WTO Public Forum, where parliamentarians regularly contribute to debates on the future of trade.
Parliamentarians and their staff are invited to visit the hub and to contact the WTO Secretariat directly. The new resource hub for parliamentarians is available here.