OVERVIEW OF DEVELOPMENTS IN THE INTERNATIONAL
TRADING ENVIRONMENT
Annual Report by the DIRECTOR-GENERAL[1]
(Mid‑October 2020
to mid‑October 2021)
EXECUTIVE
SUMMARY. 2
1 INTRODUCTION.. 5
2 RECENT
ECONOMIC AND TRADE DEVELOPMENTS. 8
2.1
Overview of Trade Developments and Economic Outlook. 8
2.2 Trade
Developments. 11
3 TRADE AND
TRADE-RELATED POLICY ISSUES. 13
3.1
Overview of Trends Identified during the Review Period. 13
3.1.1
Regular trade measures. 13
3.1.2
COVID-19 trade and trade-related measures. 21
3.2
Trade Remedy Trends. 22
3.3
Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Measures. 27
3.4
Technical Barriers to Trade (TBTs) 32
3.5
Trade Concerns Raised in Other WTO Bodies. 38
3.6
Policy Developments in Agriculture. 50
3.7
General Economic Support 54
3.8
Overview of Trade Policy Reviews. 55
3.9
Other Selected Trade Policy Issues. 57
4 POLICY
DEVELOPMENTS IN TRADE IN SERVICES. 67
4.1
Regular Measures Affecting Trade in Services. 67
4.2
COVID-19-Related Measures Affecting Trade in Services. 73
5 POLICY
DEVELOPMENTS IN TRADE AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY. 74
6 TRANSPARENCY
OF TRADE POLICIES. 77
[1] This Report covers the period mid-October 2020 to mid-October 2021.
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. This report is subject to restricted
circulation and press embargo until the 9 December 3:00 p.m.