The publication opens with an overview of world trade developments in 2015 and an assessment of the trade outlook in early 2016. This is followed by an in-depth analysis of the latest trends in the global trade of goods and commercial services.

The publication contains an in-depth look at the participation of developing economies in world trade, analysing in particular the role of least-developed countries. It also provides a summary of the main developments in trade-policy making, highlighting the latest data on WTO members’ use of trade-restrictive and trade-facilitating measures. These analytical chapters are complemented by over 50 tables providing comprehensive data on various facets of world trade in goods and services.

“World Trade Statistical Review” replaces the WTO’s previous annual statistical publication, “International Trade Statistics”, which used to be published in October of each year. This new publication will be made available annually in July, bringing it closer to its reporting period. A print version in English, French and Spanish will be published in early September. 

More extensive trade data can be found in the WTO Statistical database and in the International Trade and Market Access tool on the WTO website, which is regularly updated with short-term trade data sourced in cooperation with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). Trade data based on finalised figures for 2015 will be made available in the WTO Statistical database at the end of October, as in previous years.

Other statistical output regularly provided by the WTO includes short-term data on merchandise trade and commercial services trade and the WTO’s new World Trade Outlook Indicator, which is designed to give an early indication of the future direction of world trade.  

Later this year, the WTO will publish its annual “Trade Profiles” and “World Tariff Profiles”. The new edition of “Trade Profiles” will incorporate for the first time profiles on trade in services, providing handy two-page summaries of the most important trade data for more than 160 countries. “World Tariff Profiles”, which is produced in cooperation with UNCTAD and the International Trade Centre (ITC), will include an analysis of the latest developments in non-tariff measures as well as the latest data on tariffs. Both publications will be made available online and in a printed format.