World Trade Organization
An international organization in Geneva administering global trade rules, running trade negotiations and dispute settlement, monitoring agreements, and producing trade statistics and capacity-building programmes.
The World Trade Organization (WTO) is the international organization that administers the rules of trade between nations. Established in 1995 under the Marrakesh Agreement, it provides the forum in which member governments negotiate multilateral trade agreements and address issues affecting international commerce. It is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, and its membership is drawn from governments around the world.
Central to the WTO's legal work is its dispute settlement mechanism, the process through which members resolve disputes arising under the covered trade agreements. The organization also administers and monitors the implementation of those agreements, which govern trade in goods and services, tariffs and non-tariff measures. Beyond dispute settlement and negotiation, staff work on trade policy review, capacity building to help members implement and benefit from trade agreements, and the production of trade statistics, research and reports.
The WTO publishes trade data, analysis and learning resources for members and the public, and maintains a rules-based, multilateral approach to international commerce. It is led by Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.