During the ongoing 13th ministerial conference of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), experts and officials emphasize that the trade in services, comprising over 20% of global commerce, is being overlooked in negotiations. Rich WTO member nations are accused of prioritizing their non-trade agenda over critical issues like sanitary and phytosanitary matters, technical barriers, and mutual recognition agreements. The absence of discussions on services trade improvement, mobility issues, and care-giver movement from emerging to rich nations raises concerns. The Global Trade Research Initiative highlights that despite services trade accounting for a significant share, it receives minimal attention, hindering progress on key issues important to developing countries.
WTO Ministerial Conference Criticized for Neglecting Services Trade
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