WTO (World Trade Organization). World Trade Organization (WTO) 1 world trade organization

Health 21.06.2020

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Each of us regularly hears about the WTO in the news. Information about this organization can also be found in textbooks on geography and economics. Her work is very important for European countries, but our compatriots know little about it. AT recent times such a topic as “Russia and the WTO” is being actively discussed. And on the wave of increased interest, let's try to understand this complex economic and political issue.

Structure and organization

So, the WTO - what is it? as the World Trade Organization. It was founded in 1995 to expand freedom trade relations around the world, as well as between the states that have joined the WTO. It was based on the General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs, created in 1947.

The headquarters of the organization is located in Switzerland (Geneva). At the moment, the General Director of the structure is Pascal Lamy, and as of mid-2013, it included 159 countries. to CEO reports to the General Council or the secretariat, which in turn manages several commissions.

The main official body of the WTO is the Ministerial Conference. It meets at least once every two years. In the entire history of the existence of the structure, six such conferences were organized, and almost each of them was accompanied by a number of protest actions from the enemies of globalization. We think we have answered the question: “WTO, what is it?”. Let us now turn to the consideration of the purposes of this organization.

Three main goals

1. The smooth promotion of international trade and the removal of barriers to this. The WTO does not allow negative consequences and various abuses. For individual entrepreneurs, enterprises and departmental organizations, the rules of international trade do not change without warning. Their meaning is clear and understandable, and their application is consistent.

2. Since many countries participate in the signing of the texts of agreements, there are constant debates between them. The WTO mediates the negotiations by imposing a series of regulatory restrictions and building credibility to help avoid conflict.

3. The third important aspect of the work of the organization is the settlement of disputes. After all, the parties participating in the negotiations, as a rule, have different goals. WTO-brokered contracts and agreements often require further interpretation. All disputes are best resolved in the manner established by the organization, based on mutually agreed legal aspects that provide the parties with equal opportunities and rights. That is why all agreements signed within the organization include a clause on the terms of dispute settlement.

Five principles

Currently, there are five principles that the world trading system must comply with.

1. No discrimination

No state has the right to infringe on another by imposing restrictions on goods. Ideally, national and foreign products should be sold on the domestic market of the country under the same conditions.

2. Reducing protectionist (trade) barriers

Barriers to trade are factors preventing the entry of foreign goods into the domestic market of a state. First of all, they include customs duties. Also influenced by the policy of establishing exchange rates and administrative obstacles.

3. Predictability and stability of trading conditions

Governments, investors and foreign companies must have confidence in the immutability of trade conditions (tariff and non-tariff barriers) in a sudden and arbitrary way.

4. Stimulation of the competitive component

In order for competition between firms different countries was equal, it is necessary to stop dishonest methods of struggle - export subsidies (state support for exporting firms) and the use of dumping (specially low) prices to enter new export markets.

5. Benefits for countries with a low level of development

As a rule, the WTO countries have a strong economy, but there are also underdeveloped states to which the organization provides special privileges. This principle conflicts with others, but it is needed to draw states with a low level of development into international trade.

Functions

monitoring compliance with the terms of the basic WTO agreements;
settlement of disputes on problems of foreign economic trade;
assistance to both developing and underdeveloped countries;
cooperation with various ;
creation of favorable conditions for negotiations between WTO members;
control of countries' policies in the field of international trade.

Accession procedure

We have practically opened the question "WTO - what is it?". It remains to consider its most important part - the affiliation procedure, worked out over the long years of the organization's existence. Based on the experience of applicant countries, the process takes approximately 5-7 years.

At the first stage, special working groups conduct a multilateral analysis of the trade and political regime and economic mechanism of the acceding state for their compliance with the rules and norms of the WTO. Then negotiations begin on the terms of entry into the organization of the candidate country. Moreover, interested states that are members of the working groups can also participate in them.

The main topic of the talks is the "commercially significant" concessions that the WTO countries will receive on access to its markets after the official entry of the candidate state into the organization. An equally important issue for discussion is the timing of the assumption of obligations arising from membership.

In turn, the acceding state will receive the rights that other WTO members have. This will stop its discrimination in foreign markets. If any member of the organization commits illegal acts, any country can file a complaint with the DSB (Dispute Resolution Authority). At the national level, each member of the WTO must comply with its decisions.

The final stage consists in the ratification by the legislative body of the candidate state of all documents agreed by the Working Group and approved by the General Council. After this procedure, the candidate country receives the appropriate status.

Russia and WTO

Since the economy of our country (since the collapse of the USSR) has become more and more integrated into international trade, it has become necessary to enter the world arena. WTO accession discussed for the first time Russian leadership back in 1995, at the same time negotiations were held. Joining the country to this organization will provide many benefits. And given the pace of globalization, obtaining them becomes a strategic priority. Bonuses that Russia will receive after joining the WTO:

In 2012, the 16-year negotiation process on Russia's accession to the WTO ended. sent to the Constitutional Court international treaty to verify its compliance with Russian legislation. In July 2012, the court recognized the WTO conditions prescribed in the agreement as legal, as well as the entire agreement as a whole. After 11 days, President Putin V.V. signed a corresponding decree on Russia's accession to this organization.

Criticism

We hope that we have talked about this organization in sufficient detail, and you will no longer have the question: “WTO - what is it?”. In conclusion, a few words about criticism.

Many people disagree with the principles of the WTO. They believe that these principles do not contribute to creating a more prosperous life for the majority of citizens, but only enrich already wealthy countries (and individuals). WTO treaties are also accused of giving unfair priority to wealthy states and multinational corporations.

Critics believe that small WTO member countries do not have influence in the organization, while developed countries concentrate solely on their own commercial interests. Also, according to experts, environmental protection and health issues are always relegated to the background in favor of additional benefits for businesses.

On August 22, 2012 Russia became a memberWorld Trade Orga downgrading (TO) . Negotiations on Russia's accession to the WTO lasted almost 20 years: from 1993 to 2011. 18 years is an absolute record for the duration of negotiations. Even Chinese People's Republic sought WTO membership for less than 15 years.

The essence of the World Trade Organization (WTO)

The World Trade Organization (WTO) is an international non-profit association that regulates member countries. It has been in force since January 1, 1995 and is the legal successor of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) that has been in operation since 1947. The creation of the WTO was determined by a multilateral agreement during the Uruguay Round of GATT (1986-1994). Performs the following functions:

control over the execution of trade agreements of member countries;

organization and provision of negotiations between member countries;

monitoring the trade policy of member countries;

resolution of trade disputes between member countries.

Russia's accession to the WTO

History of Russia's accession to the WTO

Russia applied for accession to the WTO back in 1993. The negotiation process began in 1995, but for the first three years it was of a consultative nature and was limited to Russia providing data on its economy and foreign trade regime, that is, in areas regulated by the WTO. At this stage, the Russian representatives answered more than 3,000 questions from the Working Group and submitted hundreds of documents for consideration.

The most difficult negotiations were with the US and China. Differences with the European Union were resolved after Russia supported Kyoto Protocol. The most difficult were the negotiations with the United States, which lasted for six years. The main disagreements concerned the issues of financial markets, the supply of agricultural products to the Russian Federation and the protection of intellectual property rights. Russia and the United States signed a protocol on Russia's accession to the WTO on November 20, 2006. The signing took place within the framework of the session of the Asia-Pacific Forum in Hanoi (Vietnam).

The terms of entry were repeatedly postponed: 2003, 2006, then 2007 was indicated as the final date. After the success of 2010, when differences with the US and the EU were resolved, it was announced that Russia would become a member of the WTO in 2011.

Conditions for Russia's accession to the WTO

In December 2006, detailed preliminary information was published on the main results of the negotiations, which provides both information on the most important commodity items and consolidated data on the rest. The results for November 2011 for all thousands of positions are published on English language on the website of the Ministry of Economic Development . Prior to this, negotiations had been held behind closed doors, which is said to be a common practice for negotiations on economic issues including WTO. According to these data, during the first year after accession, not a single foreign trade duty will be reduced. For different product groups, transition periods from 1 year to 7 years; within 7 years, duties on industrial goods will decrease from 11.1% to 8.2% on average. Customs duties on consumer goods that are mass-produced in Russia will hardly decrease (with the exception of cars and shoes). At the same time, duties on computers and element base will be abolished, duties on consumer electronics and electrical engineering, medicines, technological and scientific equipment will be reduced. The state will be able to provide assistance to agriculture in the amount of no more than 9 billion dollars a year (now the amount of assistance is 4.5 billion dollars a year, but the amount of subsidies will still be discussed at multilateral negotiations).

The direct part of the Protocol, which determines the conditions under which Russia joined the WTO, is the List of obligations for goods and the List of obligations for services. The list of service obligations contains certain restrictions on the access of foreign persons from WTO members to a particular Russian service market (business, financial, transport services, etc.). If such restrictions are not stipulated by Russia, or if they are stipulated in this list, but are not enshrined in Russian law, then according to WTO rules, two principles will have to operate: 1) the principle of “national treatment”, that is, the same rules will apply to foreigners (often legal, tax, procedural, etc.), as for Russian persons (unless otherwise follows from the Russian federal law, which does not contradict the rules of the WTO and the obligations of Russia as a member); 2) the “most favored nation” principle, which means that if Russia provides some kind of favorable legal treatment for foreign persons from one WTO member (but not for Russian persons), then it should automatically apply to foreign persons from any other WTO member . The most significant changes in the legal regime of access and work of foreign persons in the Russian market have occurred in the field of insurance, financial, telecommunications services. By signing the Protocol, Russia also expressed its consent to join the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the WTO with all its annexes, the text of which is posted in English on the official website of the WTO. Russia became a WTO member on August 22, 2012.

Russia's Concessions on WTO Accession

Agriculture

In 2010, Russia made significant concessions on the regulation of its agriculture. On September 27, the Minister of Agriculture met with representatives of 20 states and announced that until 2012 the volume of state support for the national agro-industrial complex will remain at the same level, and in 2013-2017 it will be halved - from $9 billion a year to $4.4 billion . According to data published in 2008 by RIA Novosti, the level of state support for agriculture in Russia is already significantly lower than in other states: in the United States, state support for the ruble of manufactured products is 16 kopecks, in the EU countries 32 kopecks, in the Russian Federation - 6 kopecks .

According to former Minister of Agriculture Alexei Gordeev, by accepting the WTO terms, Russia risks a reduction in the share of exports from 1.3% to 1%, and the share of foreign agro-industrial goods will increase from 1.9% to 2.3%. The costs will amount to $4 billion.

Market access

As a result of negotiations, Russia agreed to give foreign insurance companies the opportunity to open direct branches in the country. In the field of business services, distribution of goods and production of computer equipment, the emergence of companies with 100% foreign capital is allowed.

Russia has shown persistence in matters of the inviolability of the banking sector and has not supported the proposal of the Americans to allow direct branches of foreign banks into the Russian market. The need to fix this condition is set out in law in the draft Strategy for the Development of the Banking Sector until 2015. At the same time, the Russian side made certain concessions, increasing the share of foreign capital from 25% to 50% and allowing 100% foreign ownership of banks, brokerage and investment companies.

Air taxes

Russia agreed to the abolition of air taxes for trans-Siberian flights of passenger aircraft of foreign air carriers through its territory. The fact that planes flying over Siberia paid Russia up to $400 million a year caused the greatest claims from the European Union. For example, the amount of fees for the Boeing-757 was $87 per 100 km.

duties

In 2006, shortly before the conclusion of consultations with the United States, Minister economic development and Trade said that after joining the WTO, customs duties on imported goods would decrease on average from 10.2% to 6.9%, including on agricultural products - from 21.5% to 18.9%. Duties on computers and components for them will be abolished (in 2005 they were 5-10%), the duties on copper for scrap metal will be reduced to zero.

Import duties on fruits will be reduced to 2-5%; for wine - from 20 to 12.5%; into some categories medicines up to 3-5%; for imported clothes by 2.5-5%; for new foreign cars - up to 15%, for aircraft - up to 12.5%. For alcohol, the prohibitive duty will remain - 100%, but not less than 2 euros.

In 2005, Russia undertook to freeze export duties on oil and gas.

Since 2006, Russia has been planning to gradually increase export duties on raw wood to prohibitive levels. In July 2007, the rate increased from 6.5% to 20% of the customs value, and the state received 10 euros for every cubic meter of roundwood. And in 2010 they should have reached 80% (50 euros per cubic meter).

In 2007, due to the unwillingness of domestic industrial enterprises to rapidly increase the volume of wood processing, a moratorium on export restrictions was introduced, which fixed duties at the level of 25%.

In 2007, due to the unwillingness of domestic industrial enterprises to rapidly increase the volume of wood processing, a moratorium on export restrictions was introduced, fixing duties at the level of 25%.

The prospect of abandoning Russian timber caused a strong protest from Finland and Sweden, which once again complicated relations with the European Union. In 2010, this issue, according to European Commissioner for Trade Karel de Gucht, called into question the early integration of Russia into the WTO.

Russia eventually agreed to a compromise: the duties would remain, but would be significantly reduced. Depending on the type of wood, they will amount to 5-15% of the customs value. The maximum duty on birch is 7%, on aspen - 5%. The economic publication BFM.ru wrote that by agreeing to such concessions, Russia would not incur significant financial loss, but risks complicating the development of its own woodworking industry.

Business support under the WTO will cost 75 billion rubles over three years

Accession to the WTO will cost the budget of the Russian Federation at least 75 billion rubles in the next three years: currently 60 billion rubles have been spent. This money is needed to support the sectors of Russian business, which found itself in the difficult conditions of the World Trade Organization. The State Duma believes that the amount of support can be further increased.

After Russia's accession to the WTO, customs duties on many imported goods fell, after which domestic producers were not in a winning position. For example, for products of light industry enterprises, import duties fell from 40 to 5% of the cost of goods, while imports account for 80% of the Russian market. It is to support this industry that the most significant amounts are allocated.

In addition to allocating additional funds, the deputies also propose to exempt the industry from income tax (for five to ten years). Budget revenues from light industry enterprises amount to about 2.4 billion rubles a year, of which 2.1 billion goes to regional budgets, 300 million to the federal treasury. The head of the State Duma Committee on Economic Policy, Igor Rudensky, said that a proposal is now being considered to compensate the regions for shortfalls in income.

According to him, now the government is also considering the option of assistance to the agro-industrial complex in the amount of 15 billion rubles. The number of industries that could suffer from WTO accession and need support also included the timber industry and fisheries, the production of aircraft, helicopters and aircraft engines, as well as composite materials and rare earth metals.

So far, all "infusions" into Russian production fall short of the amounts allowed by WTO rules. So, only to support agriculture through the so-called yellow box (measures that affect the final price of products - subsidizing interest rate on loans, subsidies for fertilizers, etc.) the Russian limit for 2012 is about $9 billion. “And we have only $3.6 billion in the budget for the middle of the year under the “yellow box”. The problem is that there is not enough money in the budget,” says Aleksey Portansky, professor at the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs at the National Research University Higher School of Economics.

Benefits for Russia from joining the WTO

According to expert forecasts, WTO membership will provide Russia with an annual growth of 1.2%, and according to estimates - up to 11% of GDP in the long term. It will open access to world markets for Russian products, give the country an effective mechanism for interaction with foreign partners, increase the investment attractiveness of Russian business and guarantee the growth of foreign trade.

Russian exporters will receive equal rights with other participants in the world market, which will benefit competitive players oriented to the external market, primarily large exporters of steel and agricultural products, mineral fertilizers, grain and timber, and the oil and gas industry.

WTO membership will allow Russian products to overcome trade barriers in the form of duties, quotas and restrictions, the annual costs of which are estimated at $2 billion. For example, there are currently more than 120 different restrictions on goods of the Russian metallurgical, chemical and light industries. According to the Vedomosti newspaper, this will allow diversifying exports through non-commodity goods.

According to the supporters of the idea, for an ordinary consumer, Russia's integration into the WTO will result in lower prices due to the influx of foreign goods and increased competition and cheap consumer loans.

Results of the first year of Russia in the WTO

In December 2013 " Russian newspaper” provided official statistics on exports. From January to September 2013, Russia supplies 9.6% more oil products to the world market, and 5.6% more processed timber. Passenger cars were exported by 14.2% more than in the same period last year (the statistics take into account exports to Belarus and Kazakhstan). However, these statistics will not help to draw conclusions about the negative or positive experience of Russia's accession to the WTO. Deputy Minister of Economic Development Andrei Klepach explains that "quite a short time has passed since the entry into the WTO. For some serious progress, a period of no less than several years is needed."

"Competing in the domestic market with foreign" heavyweights "in the future will be more and more difficult, since we have a gigantic depreciation of fixed assets of 70-75 percent. It is difficult to buy Russian when there is almost none left," the president says All-Russian organization quality Gennady Voronin. Today, Russians are 90% dressed in imported clothes, almost 60% of foreign food is on their tables, and 70% of foreign medicines. In this situation, only more effective practical measures of state support for Russian goods on the market can help.

"World Trade Organization (WTO)" in publications website

RUSSIA
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The World Trade Organization (WTO) is an international organization created to liberalize international trade and regulate trade and political relations of member states. The WTO is the legal successor of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), which has been in force since 1947.

The goals of the WTO are the liberalization of world trade through its regulation mainly by tariff methods with a consistent reduction in the level of import duties, as well as the elimination of various non-tariff barriers and quantitative restrictions.

The functions of the WTO are monitoring the implementation of trade agreements concluded between WTO members, organizing and ensuring trade negotiations among WTO members, monitoring the trade policy of WTO members, resolving trade disputes between members of the organization.

The fundamental principles and rules of the WTO are:

Mutual granting of the most favored nation treatment (MFN) in trade;

Mutual granting of national treatment (NR) to goods and services of foreign origin;

Regulation of trade mainly by tariff methods;

Refusal to use quantitative and other restrictions;

Trade policy transparency;

Resolution of trade disputes through consultations and negotiations, etc.

WTO members, as of May 2012, are 155 states. In 2007, Vietnam, the Kingdom of Tonga and Cape Verde joined the organization; in 2008 - Ukraine. In April and May 2012, Montenegro and Samoa became WTO members, respectively.

More than 30 states and more than 60 international organizations, including the UN, the IMF and the World Bank.

Among the observer countries are Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Serbia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and others.

The vast majority of observer countries are at various stages of accession to the WTO.

The WTO accession procedure consists of several stages. This process takes an average of 5-7 years.

At the first stage, within the framework of special Working Groups, a detailed consideration at the multilateral level of the economic mechanism and the trade and political regime of the acceding country is carried out for their compliance with the norms and rules of the WTO. After that, consultations and negotiations begin on the conditions for the applicant country's membership in this organization. These consultations and negotiations, as a rule, are held at the bilateral level with all interested member countries of the Working Group.

First of all, the talks concern the "commercially significant" concessions that the acceding country will be willing to give to WTO members for access to its markets.

In turn, the acceding country, as a rule, receives the rights that all other WTO members have, which will practically mean the end of its discrimination in foreign markets.

In accordance with the established procedure, the results of all negotiations on the liberalization of market access and the terms of accession are formalized in the following official documents:

Report of the Working Group, which sets out the entire package of rights and obligations that the applicant country will assume as a result of the negotiations;

List of obligations on tariff concessions in the field of goods and on the level of support for agriculture;

List of Specific Service Obligations and List of MFN (Most Favored Nation) Exemptions;

Accession Protocol, legally formalizing the agreements reached at the bilateral and multilateral levels.

One of the main conditions for the accession of new countries to the WTO is to bring their national legislation and practice of regulating foreign economic activity in line with the provisions of the package of agreements of the Uruguay Round.

At the final stage of accession, the national legislative body of the candidate country ratifies the entire package of documents agreed within the framework of the Working Group and approved by the General Council. After that, these obligations become part of the legal package of WTO documents and national legislation, and the candidate country itself receives the status of a WTO member.

The supreme governing body of the WTO is the Ministerial Conference. Convened at least once every two years, as a rule, at the level of ministers of trade or foreign affairs. The conference elects the head of the WTO.

The current management of the organization and monitoring of the implementation of the adopted agreements is carried out by the General Council. Its functions also include resolving trade disputes between WTO member countries and monitoring their trade policies. The General Council controls the activities of the Council for Trade in Goods, the Council for Trade in Services, and the Council for Intellectual Property.

Members of the General Council are ambassadors or heads of missions of WTO member countries.

The executive body of the organization is the WTO Secretariat.

The WTO has working and expert groups and specialized committees whose functions include establishing and monitoring compliance with competition rules, monitoring the operation of regional trade agreements and the investment climate in member countries, and admitting new members.

The WTO practices decision-making on the basis of consensus, although de jure voting is provided. Interpretation of the provisions of agreements on goods, services, as well as exemption from obligations assumed are accepted by 3/4 of the votes. Amendments that do not affect the rights and obligations of participants, as well as the admission of new members, require a 2/3 vote (in practice, as a rule, by consensus).

The working languages of the WTO are English, French and Spanish.

WTO Director General since September 1, 2005 - Pascal Lamy.

The headquarters of the organization is located in Geneva.

The material was prepared on the basis of information from open sources

Location: Geneva, Switzerland
Founded: January 1, 1995
Created: Based on Uruguay Round negotiations (1986-94)
Number of members: 164
Staff of the Secretariat: about 640 employees
Chapter: Roberto Kovalho de Azvevedo

Goals and principles:

The World Trade Organization (WTO), which is the successor to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) that has been in force since 1947, began its activity on January 1, 1995. The WTO is designed to regulate the trade and political relations of the Organization's members on the basis of a package of agreements of the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations (1986-1994). These documents are the legal basis of modern international trade.

The Agreement Establishing the WTO provides for the creation of a permanent forum of member countries to resolve issues affecting their multilateral trade relations and to monitor the implementation of the Uruguay Round agreements and arrangements. The WTO functions in much the same way as the GATT, but oversees more a wide range trade agreements (including trade in services and trade-related issues of intellectual property rights) and has much greater powers in connection with the improvement of decision-making procedures and their implementation by members of the organization. An integral part of the WTO is a unique mechanism for resolving trade disputes.

Since 1947 discussion global problems liberalization and prospects for the development of world trade takes place in the framework of multilateral trade negotiations (MTP) under the auspices of the GATT. To date, 8 rounds of the ICC have been held, including the Uruguayan one, and the ninth is ongoing. The main goal of the WTO is to further liberalize world trade and ensure fair competition.

Fundamental principles and rules GATT/WTO are:

mutual granting of the most favored nation treatment (MFN) in trade;
mutual granting of national treatment (NR) to goods and services of foreign origin;
regulation of trade mainly by tariff methods;
refusal to use quantitative and other restrictions;
transparency of trade policy;
resolution of trade disputes through consultations and negotiations, etc.

The most important functions WTO are:

control over the implementation of agreements and arrangements of the package of documents of the Uruguay Round;
conducting multilateral trade negotiations between interested member countries;
resolution of trade disputes;
monitoring the national trade policy of member countries;
technical assistance to developing states within the competence of the WTO;
cooperation with international specialized organizations.

General benefits of WTO membership can be summarized as follows:

obtaining more favorable conditions for access to world markets for goods and services based on the predictability and stability of the development of trade relations with WTO member countries, including the transparency of their foreign economic policy;
elimination of discrimination in trade by accessing the WTO dispute settlement mechanism that provides protection national interests if they are infringed by partners;
the possibility of realizing their current and strategic trade and economic interests through effective participation in the ICC in the development of new rules for international trade.

The functions of the WTO are to monitor the implementation of trade agreements concluded between WTO members, organize and ensure trade negotiations among WTO members, monitor the trade policy of WTO members, and resolve trade disputes between members of the organization.