EU and World Trade Organization (WTO)

The World Trade Organization (WTO) is made of governments and customs territories that set, apply and enforce the global rules for trade between themselves. Currently, there are ongoing discussions to reform and modernise the rules and modus operandi of the WTO in order to address new global challenges. Under the Lisbon Treaty, the European Parliament legislates jointly with the Council, and has to approve any changes to any new WTO agreements and has an important oversight role in terms of international trade policy.

The WTO's main activities are:

• Being a forum for international trade negotiations (e.g. the Doha Development Round)
• Resolving trade disputes (Dispute Settlement)
• Setting legal rules for trade in the form of trade agreements
• Monitoring members' trade policy through the Trade Policy Review Mechanism

The EU's objectives at the WTO are to:

• keep the world’s trading system fair, predictable and based on common rules
• modernise the world's trade markets so European goods, services and investment can benefit
• follow the common WTO rules, and make sure others also play by the rules
• make the WTO more open by interacting with both non-members and other international organisations
• bring developing countries into the WTO, its decision-making, and the global economy
• reinforce the WTO's support for sustainable trade policies worldwide

EU concept paper on WTO reform