The following is excerpted from a 13 June 2012 news item by the World Trade Organization.

Mr Seung Wha Chang of the Republic of Korea was sworn-in on 13 June 2012 as a member of the Appellate Body at the WTO.

The following is excerpted from a 12 June 2012 news item by CBP.

The U.S. and Korea today formally announced a reciprocal agreement for expedited processing of arriving international airline passengers. Korea thus became the first Asian country to partner with U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s growing Global Entry program.

The following is a 13 June 2012 news item by the World Trade Organization.

The value of world merchandise trade was 5% higher in the first quarter of 2012 compared to the same period of 2011, according to WTO figures released on 8 June 2012. This modest performance follows a slowdown in trade during the second half of 2011.

The following is a 12 June 2012 news item by the World Trade Organization.

The fourth review of the trade policies and practices of China takes place on 12 and 14 June 2012. The basis for the review is a report by the WTO Secretariat and a report by the Government of China.

The following is excerpted from an 8 June 2012 Report by the World Customs Organization.

At the invitation of Commissioner Rozzano Rufino Biazon of Philippines Customs, Secretary General Kunio Mikuriya of the WCO attended the 21st Meeting of ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) Directors-General of Customs in Manila, Philippines from 5-8 June 2012.

The WTO, on 8 June 2012, published the dispute panel report examining the complaint by China in the case “United States — shrimp and diamond sawblades” (WT/DS422/R).

The following is excerpted from an 8 June 2012 speech by Pascal Lamy of the World Trade Organization.

In the decade since it joined the WTO, Chinese Taipei has adapted to the changing nature of trade, with 70% of its imports and exports now comprising intermediate goods, and shown it is willing to help poorer trading partners, Director-General Pascal Lamy said on 8 June 2012.

The following is excerpted from a 7 June 2012 speech by Pascal Lamy of the World Trade Organization.

The following is excerpted from a 7 June 2012 press release by the World Customs Organization.

The World Customs Organization (WCO) was presented with an award by the Global Anti-Counterfeiting Group (GACG) network in the international public body category; the awards for 2012 were announced at a ceremony in Paris, France today.

The following is excerpted from a 5 June 2012 news release by the World Trade Organization.

Some developed and advanced developing countries said they consider counterfeiting to be one of the most serious problems to be discussed by the Council for Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) because of the economic loss and because the products can be dangerously sub-standard.