International intergovernmental organizations granted observer status to WTO bodies
The purpose of observer status for international intergovernmental organizations in the WTO is to enable these organizations to follow discussions therein on matters of direct interest to them.
The guidelines on observer status for international organizations (WT/L/161, Annex 3) provide that requests for observer status from organizations shall not be considered for meetings of the Committee on Budget, Finance and Administration or the Dispute Settlement Body, therefore these bodies are not included in this list. Also not included are the Textiles Monitoring Body, which has no international intergovernmental organization observers, and Accession Working Parties.
ON THIS PAGE:
- General Council
- Trade Policy Review Body
- Council for Trade in Goods
- Council for Trade in Services
- Council for Trade-related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights
- Committee on Anti-dumping practices
- Committee on subsidies and countervailing measures
- Committee on Safeguard
- Committee on Agriculture
- Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures
- Committee on Balance of Payments Restrictions
- Committee on Regional Trade Agreements
- Committee on Trade and Development
- Committee on Trade and Environment
- Committee on Market Access
- Committee on import licensing
- Committee on Rules of Origin
- Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade
- Committee on Trade-Related Investment Measures
- Committee on Customs Valuation
- Committee on Trade in Financial Services
- Working Party on GATS Rules
- Working Party on Domestic Regulation
- Committee on Specific Commitments
- Working Group on Transparency in Government Procurement
- Working Group on the Relationship Between Trade and Investment
- Working Group on the Interaction Between Trade and Competition Policy
- Working Group on Trade, Debt and Finance
- Working Group on Trade and Transfer of Technology
- Committee on Government Procurement
- Committee on Trade in Civil Aircraft
- Committee of Participants on the Expansion of Trade in Information Technology Products
- Bodies established by the TNC
The International Trade Centre UNCTAD/WTO, as a joint subsidiary organ
of the WTO and UNCTAD, is not required to formally submit a request for
observer status in the WTO bodies and is invited as appropriate to attend
meetings of those WTO bodies it wishes to attend (WT/GC/M/25,
item 1).
The IMF and World Bank have observer status in WTO bodies as provided for in
their respective Agreements with the WTO (WT/L/195).
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General Council
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
International Trade Centre (ITC)
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
United Nations (UN)
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
World Bank
World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
Trade Policy Review Body
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)
European Free Trade Association (EFTA)
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
World Bank
International intergovernmental organizations having ad hoc observer status
United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)
Agency for International Trade Information and Cooperation (AITIC)
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Council for Trade in Goods
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
United Nations (UN)
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
World Bank
World Customs Organization (WCO)
Council for Trade in Services
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
International Trade Centre (ITC)
United Nations (UN)
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
World Bank
International intergovernmental organizations having ad hoc observer
status
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
Universal Postal Union (UPU)
World Health Organization (WHO)
World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)
Council for Trade-related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights
African Intellectual Property Organization (Organisation Africaine de la Propriété Intellectuelle, OAPI)
African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO)
Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC)
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV)
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
United Nations (UN)
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
World Bank
World Customs Organization (WCO)
World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
International intergovernmental organizations having ad hoc observer
status
World Health Organization (WHO)
Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)
International intergovernmental organizations having ad hoc observer status on a meeting-by-meeting basis
European Free Trade Association (EFTA)
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Committee on Anti-dumping practices
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
World Bank
International intergovernmental organizations having ad hoc observer
status African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP)
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
Committee on subsidies and countervailing measures
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
World Bank
International intergovernmental organizations having ad hoc observer
status
African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP)
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
Committee on Safeguards
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
World Bank
International intergovernmental organizations having ad hoc observer
status
African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP)
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
Committee on Agriculture
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
International Grains Council (IGC)
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
United Nations World Food Programme (WFP)
World Bank
International intergovernmental organizations having ad hoc observer status on a meeting-by-meeting basis
Inter-American Institute for Agricultural Cooperation (IICA)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures
FAO International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC)FAO/WHO Joint Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex)
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
International Trade Centre (ITC)
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
World Bank
World Health Organization (WHO)
WOAH (founded as OIE)
International intergovernmental organizations having ad hoc observer status on a meeting-by-meeting basis
Arab Organization for Agricultural Development (AOAD)African Union (AU)
Caribbean Agricultural Health and Food Safety Agency (CAHFSA)
Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)
Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS)
Gulf Cooperation Council Standardization Organization (GSO)
Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD)
African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP)
European Free Trade Association (EFTA)
Inter-American Institute for Agricultural Cooperation (IICA)
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
Regional International Organization for Plant Protection and Animal Health (OIRSA)
Economic Community for West African States (ECOWAS)
Southern African Development Community (SADC)
West African Economic and Monetary Union / Union Economique et Monétaire Ouest Africaine (WAEMU/UEMOA)
Committee on Balance of Payments Restrictions
African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP)
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)
European Free Trade Association (EFTA)
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
World Bank
Committee on Regional Trade Agreements
European Free Trade Association (EFTA)
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
Organization of American States (OAS)
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
World Bank
Intergovernmental Standing Committee on Shipping (ISCOS)
Committee on Trade and Development
African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP)
ANDEAN Community
Caribbean Community Secretariat (CARICOM)
Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CAEMC)
Commonwealth Secretariat
Cooperation Council for the Arab of States of the Gulf (GCC)
European Free Trade Association (EFTA)
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
Inter-American Development Bank (IADB)
International Grains Council (IGC)
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
International Trade Centre (ITC)
Latin American Economic System (SELA)
Latin American Association for Integration (ALADI)
Organization of American States (OAS)
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
Permanent Secretariat of the General Treaty on Central American Economic
Integration (SIECA)
Southern African Development Community (SADC)
United Nations (UN)
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA)
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (ECE)
United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC)
United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)
United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)
World Bank
International intergovernmental organizations having ad hoc observer
status on a meeting-by-meeting basis
African Union (AU)
Arab Maghreb Union (AMU)
Common Fund for Commodities (CFC) (1)
Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)
Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO)
Inter-Arab Investment Guarantee Cooperation (IAIGC)
International Coffee Organization (ICO)
Islamic Development Bank (IsDB)
Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC)
Pacific Islands Forum
South Centre
United Nations Environment
Programme (UNEP)
West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU)
World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
Committee on Trade and Environment
African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP)
Bioversity International (ex International Plant Genetic Resources Institute)
Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and
Flora (CITES)
European Free Trade Association (EFTA)
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT)
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
International Trade Centre (ITC)
Latin American Economic System (SELA)
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
Pacific Islands Forum
United Nations (UN)
United Nations Commission for Sustainable Development (CSD)
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
United Nations Environment
Programme (UNEP)
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)
World Bank
World Customs Organization (WCO)
World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
International intergovernmental organizations having ad hoc observer
status
Islamic Development Bank (IsDB)
Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC)
Committee on Market Access
African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP)
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
Inter-American Development Bank (IADB)
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
World Bank
World Customs Organization (WCO)
Committee on import licensing
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
World Bank
Committee on Rules of Origin
African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP)
European Free Trade Association (EFTA)
Inter-American Development Bank (IADB)
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
International Textiles and Clothing Bureau (ITCB)
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
World Bank
World Customs Organization (WCO)
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade
African, Caribbean and Pacific Group (ACP)
African Organization for Standardisation (ARSO)
Bureau International des Poids et des Mesures (BIPM)
CARICOM Regional Organization for Standards and Quality (CROSQ)
European Free Trade Association (EFTA)
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Standardization Organization (GSO)
Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD)
International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
International Organization of Legal Metrology (OIML)
International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
International Trade Centre (ITC)
Latin American Association for Integration (ALADI)
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
Southern African Development Community (SADC)
UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)
WHO/FAO Codex Alimentarius Commission
World Bank
WOAH (founded as OIE)
World Health Organization (WHO)
Committee on Trade-Related Investment Measures
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
United Nations (UN)
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
World Bank
Committee on Customs Valuation
African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP)
Inter-American Development Bank (IADB)
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
World Bank
World Customs Organization (WCO)
Committee on Trade in Financial Services
African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP)
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
United Nations (UN)
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
World Bank
Working Party on GATS Rules
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
United Nations (UN)
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
World Bank
Working Party on Domestic Regulation
African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP)
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
United Nations (UN)
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
World Bank
Committee on Specific Commitments
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
United Nations (UN)
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
World Bank
Working Group on Trade, Debt and Finance
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
International Trade Centre (ITC)
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
United Nations (UN)
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
World Bank
World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
Working Group on Trade and Transfer of Technology
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)
World Bank
Committee on Government Procurement
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
International Trade Centre (ITC)
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
Committee on Trade in Civil Aircraft
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
Committee of Participants on the Expansion of Trade in
Information Technology Products
International Trade Centre (ITC)
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
World Customs Organization (WCO) (2)
Bodies established by the TNC
Committee on Agriculture, Special Sessions
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
International Grains Council (IGC)
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
United Nations World Food Programme (WFP)
World Bank (WB)
Council for Trade in Services, Special Sessions
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
International Trade Centre (ITC)
United Nations (UN)
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
World Bank (WB)
IGOs invited on an ad-hoc/meeting-by-meeting
basis
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
World Health Organization (WHO)
Universal Postal Union (UPU)
United Nations World Tourism Organization
(UNWTO)
Committee on Trade and Environment, Special Sessions
IGOs invited on an ad-hoc/meeting-by-meeting
basis
Basel Convention
Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
Flora (CITES)
Montreal Protocol
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
Rotterdam Convention
Stockholm Convention
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
United Nations Environment
Programme (UNEP)
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
World Customs Organization (WCO)
Negotiating Group on Trade Facilitation
IGOs invited on an ad-hoc/meeting-by-meeting
basis
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
World Bank (WB)
World Customs Organization (WCO)
Footnotes:
1. When discussing the issue relating to
commodities. back to text
2. When discussing issues concerning HS
classification/amendments. back to text
WTO co-publications with other IGOs
- Promoting Access to Medical Technologies and Innovation: Intersections between Public Health, Intellectual Property and Trade, co-published with WHO and WIPO
- World Tariff Profiles, co-published annually with ITC and UNCTAD
- Making Trade Work for the Environment, Prosperity and Resilience, co-published with UNE
- Trade and Poverty Reduction: New Evidence of Impacts in Developing Countries, co-published with the World Bank
- Global Value Chain Development Report 2017, co-published with the World Bank, IDE-JETRO, OECD and RCGVC
- Investing in Skills for Inclusive Trade, co-published with ILO
- Aid for Trade at a Glance 2017: “Promoting Trade, Inclusiveness and Connectivity for Sustainable Development”, co-published with OECD
- An Advanced Guide to Trade Policy Analysis: The Structural Gravity Model, co-published with UNCTAD
- CITES and the WTO: Enhancing Cooperation for Sustainable Development, co-published with CITES
- The Role of Trade in Ending Poverty, co-published with the World Bank
- Aid for Trade at a Glance 2015: Reducing Trade Costs for Inclusive, Sustainable Growth, co-published with OECD
- Aid for Trade at a Glance 2013: Connecting to Value Chains, co-published with OECD
- Aid for Trade in Action, co-published with OECD
- Making Globalization Socially Sustainable, co-published with ILO
- A Practical Guide to Trade Policy Analysis, co-published with UNCTAD
- Aid for Trade at a Glance 2011: Showing Results, co-published with OECD
- Aid for Trade at a Glance 2009: Maintaining Momentum, co-published with OECD
- Globalization and Informal Jobs in Developing Countries, co-published with ILO
- WTO Agreements & Public Health, co-published with WHO