WTO economists announced today that they are revising their 2011 trade forecast to 5.8%, down from their earlier conservative estimate of 6.5%, since trade has grown more slowly than expected in recent months and the outlook for the global economy is increasingly uncertain. Director-General Pascal Lamy said: “The multilateral trading system has been instrumental in maintaining trade openness during the crisis, thereby avoiding even worse outcomes. Members must remain vigilant.

The following is excerpted from a 23 September 2011 report by the World Customs Organization.

Opening Remarks by WCO Secretary General, Kunio Mikuriya

A further expansion of the ATA Carnet chain can be foreseen in the near future following Trinidad and Tobago’s recent ratification of the International Convention for the temporary admission of goods – also known as the Istanbul Convention.

Details are available on the International Chamber of Commerce website at:

An Asia-Pacific regional trade policy course for officials began on 5 September 2011, with the Indian Foreign Trade Institute’s WTO Studies Centre as a partner. WTO chief Pascal Lamy was in Delhi to open it. 

 To read Mr. Lamy's full speech, please click here.

The WTO issued on 2 September 2011 the report of the panel that had examined a complaint by Indonesia about a US ban on clove cigarettes (dispute number DS406). Details are available on the WTO website at:

http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news11_e/406r_e.htm

The WTO Appellate Body issued its report on 5 September 2011 in the case “United States — Measures Affecting Imports of Certain Passenger Vehicle and Light Truck Tyres from China” (dispute document WT/DS399/AB/R).

Details are available on the WTO website at:
http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news11_e/399abr_e.htm

The world still lacks coherent international and domestic agricultural policies to deal with food security and the double-edged sword of higher prices, WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy told a congress of agricultural economists in Zurich on 30 August 2011.