Outline the development of the World Trade Organisation and critically evaluate its role in the twenty first century.

The World Trade Organisation (WTO) came into being on the 1st January 1995. It is based in Geneva, Switzerland and was created by the Uruguay Round negotiations. It is the successor to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) established in the wake of the Second World War. While the WTO is still young, the trading system that was originally set up under GATT is already 55 years old. With 144 member countries, the WTO has six …

…hands of this organisation over the subject of international trade. Bibliography Hill, C.W.L (4th Edition) International Business, Competing in the Global Marketplace, New York, McGraw-Hill Anderton, A (3rd Edition) Economics, Ormskirk, Lancs. Causeway Press Ltd Stanlake, G.F (6th Edition) Introductory Economics, Harlow, Longman Group Ltd http://www.wto.org 1995 Overview 1999 Overview 2000 Overview 2001 Overview WTO in brief WTO trading into the future 10 benefits of the WTO trading system WTO news - 2002 news items