The course, organized by the WTO's Institute for Training and Technical Cooperation, was attended by government officials who are directly involved in WTO-related work and who already possess a sound knowledge of the general features of the WTO system and the WTO Agreements.

The event provided them with an opportunity to further consolidate their theoretical knowledge and develop new practical skills through practice and case-based learning. Various editions of the Advanced Trade Policy Course (ATPC) are held annually by the WTO Secretariat in each of the three working languages.

The purpose of the ATPC is to develop participants' autonomy in conducting WTO-related work, for instance by encouraging critical thinking to explore the linkages between WTO rules and disciplines and countries' trade policies and interests in the multilateral trading system. The ATPC also seeks to enhance analytical and negotiating skills so as to foster participation in trade policy formulation, implementation, monitoring and surveillance, and in WTO negotiations or dispute settlement proceedings.

During the eight weeks of the course, legal and economic aspects of WTO rules and disciplines were examined in a series of interactive sessions focusing on case studies, simulations and exercises, which included hands-on use of WTO databases and analytical tools. Officials worked individually or in groups and participated in simulations of international trade negotiations and dispute settlement proceedings.

The course included visits to other international organizations active in trade-related matters, as well as attendance at selected meetings of WTO bodies and briefings on the current state of play in Members' discussions, with particular emphasis on the outcomes of the 12th Ministerial Conference held in June.

Participants also met with WTO Secretariat officials and with delegates and representatives from Geneva-based diplomatic missions. Round-table discussions were organized to provide a platform for exchanging views, sharing experiences and best practices, and debating present-day trade topics.

The patron of this edition of the course was the Permanent Mission of Spain to the WTO. The course was opened by Ambassador Aurora Díaz-Rato Revuelta, Permanent Representative of Spain, while Agustín Navarro de Vicente-Gella, Deputy Permanent Representative for Economic and Commercial Affairs of the Spanish Mission, participated in an informal meeting with the participants and closed the course.

Details of the ATPC are provided in the course booklet and the final programme.

Further information on WTO technical assistance and training can be found  here.

List of participants

Name	Member
Angélica Paz CORVALÁN AZÓCAR	CHILE
Marcela Gabriela GONZÁLEZ MENDEZ	CHILE
Wenyi HAN	CHINA
Angie Lorena CASTRO HERNANDEZ	COLOMBIA
Amparo QUINTERO CONDE	COLOMBIA
Cristina MORA BEECHE	COSTA RICA
Yordanys Reyes Matos	CUBA
Miriam Valdes Abreu	CUBA
Nanayan VEGA PINEDA	CUBA
Yahirys Villavicencio	CUBA
Robin Giovanny GONZÁLEZ ECHEVERRÍA	ECUADOR
Jeannette Silvana MARIÑO CASTRO	ECUADOR
Paola Anabela PRADO BELTRÁN	ECUADOR
Ana Belen SUÁREZ GAIBOR	ECUADOR
Diana Maria RAMÍREZ SOLANO	EL SALVADOR
César Antonio DÍAZ MATUTE	HONDURAS
Georgina Marcela HURTADO GUTIERREZ	NICARAGUA
Ixchen Xilonem TRIGUEROS FLORES	NICARAGUA
Paola Teresa BALBUENA	PARAGUAY
Jorge Daniel CAÑETE MERELES	PARAGUAY
María Cecilia CUEVAS DE DOMANICZKY	PARAGUAY
Ana Melissa GONZÁLEZ DÍAZ	PARAGUAY
Enrique Miguel CHÁVEZ BARDALES	PERU
Emily Yomira ORE ICHPAS	PERU
Karina Odil LEONARDO PERALTA	DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Juan Orlando RIVERA VALERIO	DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Julissa Arelis RUÍZ GUILLÉN	DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
María Bellaniris ABREU CONTRERAS	DOMINICAN REPUBLIC