Held annually, the World FZO AICE is the world’s “must attend” event for free zones and associated entities. It is an opportunity to build awareness among World FZO members and prominent participants from across the globe.

In 2021, the World FZO AICE will once again be held virtually, meaning you will have the opportunity to connect with a larger audience than ever before. Over the course of the four-day event, world-class speakers and senior policy makers, academics, multi-lateral organizations and global business leaders from over 150 countries come together with delegations from international free zones to share best practice and foster public awareness of the role and contribution to economic growth that free zones make.

Attendees benefit from broad-based insight on critical issues affecting free zones, as well as various networking opportunities with key international decision makers who have an impact on business, trade and investment.

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"I think we are moving but we are far from doing the job. It has taken a long time and we still have large gaps. However, in spite of the difficulties before us, I do feel that we have the best chance to make a difference now. It really is within reach," Director-General Okonjo-Iweala said at the hours long stocktaking meeting held after members undertook marathon discussions since 11 May when the draft chair's text was circulated. "We are now looking at the text holistically to see what we can make possible before July 15," she said referring to next month's meeting of ministers.

The Director-General noted that Group of 7 (G7) leaders highlighted over the weekend the importance of a meaningful conclusion to the fisheries subsidies negotiations, and that ministers from the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, and from the Caribbean Community have also pledged their support for the discussions.

"I desire more than ever to see us move forward so we don't miss out...

"I think we are moving but we are far from doing the job. It has taken a long time and we still have large gaps. However, in spite of the difficulties before us, I do feel that we have the best chance to make a difference now. It really is within reach," Director-General Okonjo-Iweala said at the hours long stocktaking meeting held after members undertook marathon discussions since 11 May when the draft chair's text was circulated. "We are now looking at the text holistically to see what we can make possible before July 15," she said referring to next month's meeting of ministers.

The Director-General noted that Group of 7 (G7) leaders highlighted over the weekend the importance of a meaningful conclusion to the fisheries subsidies negotiations, and that ministers from the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, and from the Caribbean Community have also pledged their support for the discussions.

"I desire more than ever to see us move forward so we don't miss out...

Japan claims the measures in question, imposed in 2019 by China's Ministry of Commerce, appear to be inconsistent with various provisions under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 and the Anti-Dumping Agreement.

Further information is available in document WT/DS601/1

The Forum's subthemes are “Enhancing resilience beyond COVID-19”, “Strengthening the multilateral trading system” and “Collective action towards sustainable trade”. The online registration form can be accessed here.

In light of the uncertainties and restrictions related to COVID-19, the WTO will continue to monitor the situation to determine whether the Forum will be held virtually or in hybrid mode. Information on this will be shared in July.

Individuals wishing to attend the Forum must register online by 6 September 2021.

For more information on the theme and sub-themes, please visit the Public Forum webpage https://www.wto.org/pf21.   

The meeting marked the end of the facilitator-led informal process of technical discussions under the guidance of the negotiations chair, Ambassador Gloria Abraham Peralta(Costa Rica), which started last September. Facilitators made their last oral reports. In early June, they will submit their written reports presenting the state of play on the possible elements for an agricultural outcome at MC12. The chair intends to draw key ingredients from these reports to form a consolidated assessment report and a negotiating text before the summer break.

Australian Ambassador George Mina delivered the joint statement on behalf of the Cairns Group and the African Group. "This ministerial decision must be of sufficient ambition and specificity to enable meaningful reform of trade and production domestic support, with a view to enabling fairer trade in agriculture," the two groups proclaimed, stating their shared objective is to realize "ambitious, concrete and equitable"...

The environmental database has been prepared under the WTO Secretariat's own responsibility and is without prejudice to the positions of WTO members or to their rights and obligations under the WTO.

The seminar is part of a decade-long project organized by the WTO in partnership with the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES). Each seminar provides a unique opportunity for journalists from developing countries to delve into trade-related topics, with a view to improving their understanding of the WTO and global trade rules.

Launched last November, the TESSD discussions are intended to complement the existing work of the Committee on Trade and Environment and other relevant WTO committees and bodies.  The initiative seeks to promote transparency and information sharing, identifying areas for future work within the WTO, support technical assistance and capacity building needs, particularly for least-developed countries, and work on deliverables for environmental sustainability in the various areas of the WTO.

The initiative, co-sponsored by 53 WTO members, is open to all WTO members.  The first TESSD meeting took place on 5 March. 

The second TESSD meeting kicked off with presentations on issues related to environmental goods and services, followed by open discussions among the participants. This was followed on the second day by presentations and open discussions on the issues of green aid for trade; fossil fuel subsidy reform; trade-related climate...

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The initiative on cotton by-products — established through the WTO, ITC and UNCTAD in 2018 — aims to help least-developed countries generate additional revenue streams from the production, processing, and trade of cotton. The initiative was requested by four African cotton-producing countries — Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad and Mali — known as the Cotton Four.

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As preparations are made for the G7 Summit in the UK next week, top of the agenda is how to end the COVID-19 pandemic and secure the global recovery. Urgent challenges face us.

By now it has become abundantly clear there will be no broad-based recovery without an end to the health crisis. Access to vaccination is key to both. 

There has been impressive progress on the vaccination front. Scientists have come up with multiple vaccines in record time. Unprecedented public and private financing has supported vaccine research, development and manufacturing scale-up. But a dangerous gap between richer and poorer nations persists.

In fact, even as some affluent countries are already discussing the rollout of booster shots to their populations, the vast majority of people in developing countries — even front-line health workers — have still not received their first shot. The worst served are low-income nations which have...