Functions of wto

FUNCTIONS, STRUCTURE
AND
STATUS OF WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATION

FUNCTIONS OF WORLD
TRADE ORGANISATION

FUNCTIONS OF WTO
 The WTO shall facilitate the implementation, administration
and operation,and further the objectives of this agreement
and of the Multilateral Trade Agreements and shall also
provide the framework for the implementation,
administration and operation of the Plurilateral Trade
Agreements.
 The WTO shall provide the forum for negotiations among its
members concerning their multilateral trade relations in
matters dealt with under the agreements of GATT. The WTO
may also provide a forum for further negotiations among its
Members concerning their Multilateral trade relations, and a
framework for the implementation of the results of such
negotiations, as may be decided by the Ministerial
Conference.

FUNCTIONS OF WTO
 The WTO shall administer the understanding on Rules and Procedures
Governing the Settlement of Disputes.
 The WTO shall administer the Trade Policy Review Mechanism
(TPRM).
 The WTO shall co-operate as appropriate, with the International
Monetary Fund (IMF) and the International Bank for Reconstruction
and Development (IBRD) and its affiliated agencies to achieve greater
coherence in global economic policy-making.

STRUCTURE OF WORLD
TRADE ORGANISATION

The WTO consists of the
following bodies:
The Ministerial Conference:
 There shall be a Ministerial Conference composed of
representatives of all the Members, which shall meet atleast
once every two years. It shall carry out the functions of the
WTO and take actions necessary to this effect.
 It shall have the authority to take decisions on all matters under
any of the Multilateral Trade Agreements, if so requested by a
Member, in accordance with the specific requirements for
decision- making in this Agreement of WTO and in the relevant
Multilateral Trade Agreements.

The General Council:
 There shall be a General Council composed of representatives of all the
Members, which shall meet as appropriate. In the intervals between
meetings of the Ministerial Conference, its functions shall be
conducted by the General Council. The General Council shall also
carry out the functions assigned to it by this agreement.
The Dispute settlement Body:
 The General Council shall convene as appropriate to discharge the
responsibilities of the Dispute Settlement Body provided for in the
Dispute Settlement Understanding. The Dispute Settlement Body may
have its own chairman and shall establish such rules of procedure as it
deems necessary for the fulfilment of those responsibilities.

The Trade Policy Review Body:
 The General Council shall convene as appropriate to
discharge the responsibilities of the Trade Policy Review
Body provided for in the TPRM. The Trade Policy Review
Body may have its own chairman and shall establish such
rules of procedure as it deems necessary for the fulfilment
of those responsibilities.
The Council for Trade in Goods, The Council for Trade
in services and The Council for Trade-Related Aspects
of Intellectual Property Rights (Council for TRIPS):
 They shall operate under the general guidance of the
General Council. These Councils shall carry out the
functions assigned to them by their respective agreements
and by the General Council.
 They shall establish their respective rules of procedure
subject to the approval of the General Council.
Membership in these Councils shall be open to
representatives of all Members. These Councils shall meet
as necessary to carry out their functions

Subsidiary Bodies:
 The Council for Trade in Goods, the Council for Trade in
Services and the Council for TRIPS shall establish subsidiary
bodies as required. These subsidiary bodies shall establish
their respective rules of procedure subject to the approval of
their respective Councils.
The committee on Trade and Development, The
Committee on Balance of Payments Restrictions and The
Committee on Budget, Finance and Administration:
 The Ministerial Conference shall establish these Committees
which shall carry out the functions assigned to them by the
Agreement and by the Multilateral Trade Agreements, and any
additional functions assigned to them by the General Council,
and may establish such additional Committees with such
functions as it may deem appropriate.

 As part of its functions, the Committee on Trade and
Development shall periodically review the special
provisions in the Multilateral trade Agreements in favour
of the Least-developed country Members and report to
the General Council for appropriate action. Membership
to these Committees shall be open to representatives of
all Members.
Bodies provided for under the Plurilateral Trade
Agreements:
 They shall carry out the functions assigned to them under
those agreements and shall operate within the
institutional framework of the WTO. These bodies shall
keep the General Council informed of their activities on
a regular basis.

STATUS OF THE WORLD
TRADE ORGANISATION

STATUS OF THE WTO
 The WTO shall have legal personality, and shall be
accorded by each of its Members such legal capacity as
may be necessary for the exercise of its functions.
 The WTO shall be accorded by each of its Members
such privileges and immunities as are necessary for the
exercise of its functions.
 The officials of the WTO and the representatives of the
Members shall similarly be accorded by each of its
Members such privileges and immunities as are
necessary for the independent exercise of their
functions in connection with the WTO.

STATUS OF THE WTO
 The privileges and immunities to be accorded
by a Member to the WTO its officials, and the
representatives of its Members shall be similar
to the privileges and immunities stipulated in
the Convention on the Privileges and
Immunities of the Specialised Agencies,
approved by the General Assembly of the
United Nations on 21 November,1947.
 The WTO may conclude a headquarters
agreement.

Functions of wto

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