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.
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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