New wto thematic course on trade policy analysis begins

The WTO Thematic Course on Trade Policy Analysis, attended by 26 participants from around the world, (to open) in Geneva on 5 May and (conclude) on 9 May 2014.

This newly developed course (to offer) as part of the WTO technical assistance and capacity building courses. It (to implement) within the WTO’s Progressive Learning Strategy and (to represent) “level 3” — the highest level of “specialist” training.

The course (to base) on the joint publication UNCTAD/WTO Practical Guide to Trade Policy Analysis. It (to design) by the WTO Economic Research and Statistics Division and delivered jointly with the WTO Institute for Training and Technical Cooperation.

The ability to conduct high quality analyses of trade data (to be) essential for decision making. Multilateral, regional and bilateral trade negotiations, as well as the formulation and implementation of appropriate policies at a national level, (to require) an extensive analysis of economic data and an assessment of the impact of trade policy decisions.

The purpose of this advanced level, specialized course (to be) for the participants to learn how to select the appropriate approach to answer their trade policy research question, how to collect the data and implement the analysis. During the course, participants (to become) familiar with sources of data (focusing on trade in goods) and with methodologies for trade and trade policy analysis, including calculation of trade flows and trade policy indicators, the gravity model for trade and the partial equilibrium model. The course also (to be) a platform for discussion on ways to enhance the use of research in policy making.

8.2. The World Trade Organization. Grammar Review

Exercise 1.

Before reading the text, answer these questions:

1. What can you say about being a member of the World Trade Organization?

2. How many member states are there in the WTO? Does this give advantages to every country?

3. What do you know about the history of this global trade club?

Exercise 2. Read the text to check your answers.

PART I

The World Trade Organization (WTO) is the only international organization dealing with the global rules of trade between nations. Its main function is to ensure that trade flows as smoothly, predictably and freely as possible.

There are a number of ways of looking at the WTO. It is an organization for trade opening. It is a forum for governments to negotiate trade agreements. It is a place for them to settle trade disputes. It operates a system of trade rules. Essentially, the WTO is a place where member governments try to sort out the trade problems they face with each other.

The WTO was born out of negotiations, and everything the WTO does is the result of negotiations. The bulk of the WTO’s current work comes from the 1986–94 negotiations called the Uruguay Round and earlier negotiations under the GATT.

The WTO is run by its member governments. All major decisions are made by the membership as a whole, either by ministers (who usually meet at least once every two years) or by their ambassadors or delegates (who meet regularly in Geneva).

While the WTO is driven by its member states, it could not function without its Secretariat to coordinate the activities. The Secretariat employs over 600 staff and its experts — lawyers, economists, statisticians and communications experts — assist WTO members on a daily basis to ensure, among other things, that negotiations progress smoothly, and that the rules of international trade are correctly applied and enforced.

The WTO agreements cover goods, services and intellectual property. They spell out the principles of liberalization, and the permitted exceptions. They include individual countries’ commitments to lower customs tariffs and other trade barriers, and to open and keep open services markets. They set procedures for settling disputes. These agreements are not static; they are renegotiated from time to time and new agreements can be added to the package.

Exercise 3. Answer the questions.

1. What do you think are the key words to describe this organization?

2. How did it all begin?

3. Who runs the WTO?

4. What are the Secretariat staff employees concerned with?

5. The do the WTO agreements deal with?

Exercise 4. Read the Fact File below to learn more about the WTO. Work in pairs and ask questions to remember the facts.

For example: Where are the headquarters of the WTO located?

FACT FILE

Location: Geneva, Switzerland Established: 1 January 1995 Created by: Uruguay Round negotiations (1986-94) Membership: 159 countries on 2 March 2013 Budget: 197 million Swiss francs for 2013 Secretariat staff: 640 Head: Roberto Azevêdo (Director-General) Functions: • Administering WTO trade agreements • Forum for trade negotiations • Handling trade disputes • Monitoring national trade policies • Technical assistance and training for developing countries • Cooperation with other international organizations

Exercise 5. Watch some videos fro the official site of the WTO to learn more about this global trade body. Tell the class what you’ve learnt. To begin, make use of the following links:

http://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/whatis_e/whatis_e.htm

http://www.youtube.com/user/WTO

http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news_e.htm

Exercise 6. Open the brackets. Infinitives, Gerunds or Participles can be used.