WTO conducts a capacity-building seminar at Islamabad on Trade Policy Review Mechanism
In view of the forthcoming trade policy review of Pakistan, scheduled in January 2008, the World Trade Organization has initiated the process with a seminar at Islamabad on 14th march 2007. Attended by the senior officials and focal persons of the key Ministries and relevant agencies, the participants were briefed on the procedure and process involved in the trade policy review. Mr. Clemens Boonekamp, Director, Trade Policy Review Division, accompanied by Mr. Sergios Stamnas and Mr. SIM Nayyar from WTO shared their views on the obligations of the country under review; and the way forward for a successful review.
Availing the opportunity, the WTO team also called on Commerce Minister Humayun Akhtar Khan next day, who re-iterated the commitment of his government to re-examine domestic policies, where necessary, in view of their compatibility with the WTO Agreements and issues related thereto.
Trade Policy Review Mechanism is one of the major functions of the WTO. The mechanism provides for reviewing the top four global traders (currently EU, US, Japan and China) every two years, the next sixteen every four years, and the remaining Member states every six years.
