The following is excerpted from a 19 September 2013 press release by the World Trade Organization.
World trade growth in 2013 and 2014 is likely to be slower than previously forecast. WTO economists now predict 2013 growth of 2.5% (down from the 3.3% forecast in April) and 4.5% in 2014 (down from 5.0%), but they say conditions for improved trade are gradually falling into place. “There is a message for the WTO in this,” said WTO Director-General Roberto Azevêdo. “The past two years of sluggish trade growth reinforce the need to make progress in the multilateral negotiations.”
This release is available in its entirety at:
http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/pres13_e/pr694_e.htm