Structure of World Trade Agreement

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The World Trade Agreement (WTA) is a multilateral trade agreement consisting of a number of specific agreements on various issues relating to trade. The present agreement is the result of a series of negotiations during the period 1986 to 1994 as part of the Uruguay round of GATT negotiations. The final Act of the WTA contains, sixteen Articles, four Annexes, ninteen Decisions, four Declarations and eight Understandings

The main features of the WTA are contained in the following annexes

Annex 1A.

Multi-lateral Agreement on Trade in Goods

Following are the main agreements relating to trade in goods

• General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994 (GATT 1994)
• Agreement on Agriculture - http://www.wto.org/english/docs_e/legal_e/14-ag.doc
• Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures -
http://www.wto.org/english/docs_e/legal_e/15-sps.doc
• Agreement on Textiles and Clothing - http://www.wto.org/english/docs_e/legal_e/16-tex.doc
• Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade - http://www.wto.org/english/docs_e/legal_e/17-tbt.doc
• Agreement on Trade Related Investment Measures - http://www.wto.org/english/docs_e/legal_e/18-trims_e.htm
• Agreement on Implementation of Article VI of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994 - http://www.wto.org/english/docs_e/legal_e/19-adp.doc
• Agreement on the Implementation of Article VII of GATT 1994
• Agreement on Pre-shipment Inspection
• Agreement on Rules of Origin - http://www.wto.org/english/docs_e/legal_e/22roo.doc
• Agreement on Import Licensing Procedures
• Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures
• Agreement on Safeguards

Annex 1B

General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) - http://www.wto.org/english/docs_e/legal_e/26-gats.doc

Annex 1C

Agreement on Trade Related aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS)
http://www.wto.org/english/docs_e/legal_e/27-trips.doc

Annex 2

Rules and Procedure Governing Settlement of Disputes

Annex 3

Trade Policy Review Mechanism

Annex 4

Pluri-lateral Trade Agreements

Following are the main four pluri-lateral agreements wich were signed prior to the Uruguay round of negotiations.

• Agreement on Trade in Civil Aircraft
• Agreement on Government Procurement
• International Dairy Agreement
• International Bovine Meat Agreement

• Establishment of World Trade Organisation (WTO)
• Agreement on Agriculture (AoA)
• General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS)
• Textiles and Clothing
• Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS)
• Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT)
• Trade Related Investment Measures (TRIMS)
• Sanitary and Phytosanitary Standards (SPS)
• Market Access
• Rules of Origin (RoO)
• Anti-dumping Rules
• Safeguards
• Dispute Settlement Provisions

Last updated on: 21-12-07