The WTO at Twenty: Challenges and Achievements

This research explores how multilateralism in trade has worked over the past twenty years – and provides some lessons about how it can work in the future.

It describes the WTO’s achievements across a number of key areas, including: strengthening the institutional foundations of the trade system; widening its membership and increasing participation; deepening trade integration through lower barriers and stronger rules; improving transparency and policy dialogue; strengthening dispute settlement; expanding cooperation with other international organizations; and enhancing public outreach.

It concludes that the WTO has achieved much over its first twenty years but the success of the WTO has inevitably given rise to new challenges.