OVERVIEW OF DEVELOPMENTS
IN THE INTERNATIONAL TRADING ENVIRONMENT
Annual
Report by the DIRECTOR-GENERAL[1]
(Mid-October
2016 to mid-October 2017)
Table of contents
KEY
FINDINGS. 4
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY. 7
1 INTRODUCTION.. 9
2 RECENT ECONOMIC AND TRADE DEVELOPMENTS. 11
2.1 Overview.. 11
2.2 Economic Developments. 12
2.3 Merchandise Trade. 14
2.4 Trade in Commercial Services. 17
2.5 Trade Forecast and Economic Outlook. 18
3 TRADE AND TRADE-RELATED POLICY ISSUES. 24
3.1 Overview of trends identified during the
period under review.. 24
3.2 Trade-Remedies. 28
3.3 Sanitary and phytosanitary measures (SPS) 41
3.4 Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) 48
3.5 Trade Concerns Raised in Other WTO Bodies. 57
3.6 Policy Developments in Agriculture. 65
3.7 General Economic Support 71
3.8 Overview of Trade Policy Reviews. 72
3.9 Other Selected Trade Policy Issues. 84
4 POLICY DEVELOPMENTS IN TRADE IN SERVICES. 95
5 POLICY DEVELOPMENTS IN TRADE AND
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY. 102
6 TRANSPARENCY OF TRADE POLICIES. 106
ANNEX 1. 123
MEASURES FACILITATING TRADE. 123
ANNEX 2. 138
TRADE REMEDIES. 138
ANNEX 3. 158
OTHER TRADE-RELATED MEASURES. 158
ANNEX 4. 171
MEASURES AFFECTING TRADE IN SERVICES. 171
APPENDIX 1 - PARTICIPATION.. 225
[1] This Report covers the period mid-October 2016 to mid-October 2017.
It is presented pursuant to Paragraph G of the Trade Policy Review Mechanism
mandate and aims to assist the Trade Policy Review Body to undertake its annual
overview of developments in the international trading environment that are
having an impact on the multilateral trading system. The Report is issued under
the sole responsibility of the Director‑General. It has no legal effect on the
rights and obligations of Members, nor does it have any legal implications with
respect to the conformity of any measure noted in the Report with any WTO
Agreements or any provisions thereof.