Solar PV has become a pillar of low-carbon sustainable energy strategies, with the cost of electricity generated by PV plants declining by 77% between 2010 and 2018, according to the publication titled “Trading into a bright energy future: The case for open, high-quality solar PV markets”. Trade and the globalization of the solar PV market have been major factors in driving the decrease in the prices of the technology as manufacturers are better able to source goods and services from competitive suppliers.

However, further support from trade policies and harmonized product standards is needed to unlock additional cost reductions and job creation in the solar PV sector, the booklet states. While average tariffs on solar PV goods are relatively low, large divergences remain among WTO members, with some applying tariffs as high as 15% on machines for PV panels, for example.

Coherence in product standards is also crucial to a globalized PV market to promote safe...

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A total of 81 universities representing 33 WTO members and observers participated in regional rounds held from February to May 2021. The top 26 teams from the regional rounds qualified for the final round. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the regional rounds and the final oral round took place virtually.

After four days of competition among the best in the world, four teams qualified for the semi-finals: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (Belgium), Los Andes University (Colombia), Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva (Switzerland) and University of Colombo (Sri Lanka).

The winning team, from the University of Colombo, was composed of Ms Saheli Wikramanayake, Ms Adithya Ramanitharan, Mr Avishka Jayaweera and Mr Sandun Batagoda. They also won the prize for the best respondent’s written submission, and Ms Wikramanayake was awarded the best orator of the Grand Final. The University of Ottawa Faculty of Law (Canada) won the prize for the...

China claims the measures in question are inconsistent with various provisions under the WTO's Anti-Dumping Agreement, the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures, and the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994.

Further information is available in document WT/DS603/1

This summary has been prepared by the WTO Secretariat’s Information and External Relations Division to help public understanding about developments in WTO disputes. It is not a legal interpretation of the issues, and it is not intended as a complete account of the issues. These can be found in the reports themselves and in the minutes of the Dispute Settlement Body’s meetings.

You can add location information to your Tweets, such as your city or precise location, from the web and via third-party applications. You always have the option to delete your Tweet location history. Learn more

You can add location information to your Tweets, such as your city or precise location, from the web and via third-party applications. You always have the option to delete your Tweet location history. Learn more

You can add location information to your Tweets, such as your city or precise location, from the web and via third-party applications. You always have the option to delete your Tweet location history. Learn more

The fourth Trade Dialogues session dedicated to the business community was organized jointly with the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and brought together over 80 business representatives who discussed their priorities in the various areas of the WTO's work. The Dialogues have been organised since 2016 and involve both the ICC and the B20, the business arm of the G20.

During the opening session, WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was joined by General Council Chair Ambassador Dacio Castillo, ICC Chair Ajay Banga and B20 Italy Chair Emma Marcegaglia.

DG Okonjo-Iweala said: “I am very pleased to have facilitated another Trade Dialogues with the private sector. Our rules directly impact businesses’ ability to move goods and services across borders and tap into new markets. Because they deal with these realities every day, they can help us and the members understand what is working well, and more...

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The technical symposium on “COVID-19 vaccine supply chain and regulatory transparency” is a follow-up to the WTO-organized meeting on “COVID-19 and Vaccine Equity: What Can the WTO Contribute?” held on 14 April. On that occasion, Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala called on WTO members, vaccine manufacturers and international organizations to address trade-related obstacles to COVID-19 vaccine production scale-up in order to hasten the end of the pandemic and accelerate global economic recovery.

Speaking to G20 leaders and the heads of international organizations on 21 May, DG Okonjo-Iweala also stressed the key role WTO members can play in fostering greater equity in the global distribution of COVID-19 vaccines by lowering supply chain barriers, fully using existing production capacity, and addressing issues related to intellectual property, access and innovation.

Mapping vaccine manufacturing and trade as well as cross-border movement of vaccine inputs...