At the Committee on Trade Facilitation meeting on 10-11 June 2026, WTO members continued discussions on a total of 25 proposals submitted under the second review of the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA). Members also agreed to hold a dedicated session on trade facilitation issues for small economies and discussed transit issues facing landlocked developing countries (LLDCs).
At an event in London on 10 June, Deputy Director-General DJ Nordquist emphasized that the WTO continues to provide the foundation for the large majority of global trade, even as the trading system adapts to new technologies, shifting supply chains and geopolitical uncertainty. She also stressed the importance of advancing WTO reform while preserving the predictability and transparency on which businesses depend. DDG Nordquist spoke at the launch of the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre's Future of Trade Report 2026. Her remarks are below.
The Sixth review of the trade policies and practices of Uruguay takes place on 10 and 12 June 2026. The basis for the review is a report by the WTO Secretariat and a report by the Government of Uruguay.
Co-sponsors of the E-Commerce Agreement (ECA) met on 9 June to discuss preparations for ratifying the world's first baseline set of global digital trade rules. The ratification process forms part of the interim arrangements adopted by over 60 members at the 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14), pending incorporation of the ECA into the WTO rulebook.
The WTO Fish Fund has marked an important milestone with the submission to the WTO of the first-ever fisheries subsidy notification made possible through support from the Fund. The submission on 3 June by Tonga under the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies has additional significance given the developing Pacific region's exposure to the effects of harmful fisheries subsidies. The notification was prepared during a workshop held from 20 to 22 May in Nuku'alofa, Tonga, as part of a project funded by the Fish Fund, and contributes to Tonga’s implementation of the Agreement.
WTO members examined a number of questions related to preshipment inspection (PSI) at an 8 June meeting of the Committee on Customs Valuation. Drawing on recent private sector input and member experiences, the discussions focused on future Committee work related to PSI and how PSI issues should continue to be addressed. The Committee also examined 34 customs valuation notifications submitted by members for review and a trade concern raised by one member.
On 8 June 2026, South Africa notified the WTO’s Committee on Safeguards regarding the initiation on 5 June 2026 of a safeguard investigation on A3 and A4 office paper imported into the Southern African Customs Union (SACU).
Following World Food Safety Day on 7 June, the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF) has launched its 2025 Annual Report, Accelerating Safe Trade: From Innovation to Scale. The report showcases how investments in strengthening sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) systems are improving food safety, facilitating trade and supporting sustainable development.
Global merchandise trade appears to have remained resilient in the first half of 2026 despite headwinds from the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which seem to have been partly offset by rising demand for electronic components related to investment in artificial intelligence, according to the latest WTO Goods Trade Barometer.
Public and private sector representatives joined the Committee on Import Licensing’s second experience-sharing session on 4 June, focusing on improving WTO members' transparency and notification compliance. Speakers from Cambodia, the European Union, Myanmar, Thailand and the United States shared practices on notifications, public-private cooperation, access to information and digitalization of licensing procedures. The Committee also reviewed recent notifications, addressed 12 specific trade concerns and heard an EU presentation on its Electronic System for Agricultural Non-Customs Formalities during its regular session.
At a series of meetings held from 2 to 4 June, the WTO Council for Trade in Services and its subsidiary bodies discussed a broad range of issues for possible future work, ranging from the services aspects of electronic commerce to the green services economy. Members also agreed to hold a dedicated workshop to share information on the recognition of foreign professionals' qualifications. Discussions continued on ways to help least developed countries better participate in services trade, facilitate remittance transfers, and improve the classification of environmental services.
The Committee on Trade and Environment (CTE) met on 1 and 5 June - marking the start and the conclusion of the seventh edition of WTO Trade and Environment Week - with members reaffirming the significance of this platform for dialogue and cooperation on trade and environment issues. Members launched a new exercise to share information on their trade and climate measures on a voluntary basis and discussed plans for future thematic sessions.
At a meeting of the Informal Working Group (IWG) on Trade and Gender held on 1 June, the co-Chairs announced the launch of the third edition of the International Prize for Gender Equality in Trade, which recognizes gender-responsive trade policies. They also updated members on ongoing work with the Informal Working Group on Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs). Members also shared experiences on the links between intellectual property, innovation and women's economic empowerment as part of the group's second thematic focus for 2026.
The seventh edition of WTO Trade and Environment Week is taking place from 1 to 5 June at WTO headquarters in Geneva and online. The event features 16 public sessions organized by WTO members, focusing on a wide range of issues at the intersection of trade and the environment. It began with a meeting of the WTO Committee on Trade and Environment (CTE) chaired by Ambassador Ram Prasad Subedi of Nepal.
The Heads of the International Energy Agency, International Monetary Fund, World Bank Group and World Trade Organization met on May 28 as part of the high-level coordination group established in April to maximise their institutions’ response to the energy, trade, and economic impacts of the war in the Middle East. Following the meeting, they issued the statement below:
The Working Group on Trade and Transfer of Technology met on 28 May to discuss how to continue advancing work on increasing flows of technology to developing economies following the WTO’s 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14) in Yaoundé in March. The newly elected Chair, Ambassador Sumathi Balakrishnan of Malaysia, told the Working Group that she will work with all members to define a constructive path forward for the Group’s work.
The WTO Secretariat and the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie (APF) concluded a two-day workshop in Geneva on 28-29 May bringing together francophone parliamentarians to deepen their engagement with the WTO and the multilateral trading system.
Senior executives from leading global shipping companies and industry groups underlined growing operational and economic challenges to goods trade during a 28 May meeting with WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. They noted that, while global supply chains have demonstrated resilience, efforts to identify and rely on alternative maritime routes amid disruptions – particularly in the Gulf region and other chokepoints – are driving up costs for shippers and ultimately consumers.
On 27 May 2026, New Zealand notified the WTO’s Committee on Safeguards of the initiation on 28 May 2026 of a safeguard investigation on imports of certain aluminium extrusions.
At the first meeting of the Committee on Agriculture since the 14th Ministerial Conference in Yaoundé, Cameroon, in March, WTO members covered a wide range of issues on 27-28 May, with particular attention paid to farm support, including questions arising from members' notifications to the Committee. They also shared perspectives on determining the status of net food-importing developing countries and took note of forecasts and reports on global farming from international organizations.
