The World Trade Organization (WTO; English World Trade Organization (WTO), French Organization mondiale du commerce (OMC), Spanish Organización Mundial del Comercio) is an international organization created on January 1, 1995 with the aim of liberalizing international trade and regulating trade -political relations of member states. The WTO was formed on the basis of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), concluded in 1947 and for almost 50 years, which actually performed the functions of an international organization, but was not, however, an international organization in the legal sense.

The WTO is responsible for introducing new details, and also ensures that members of the organization comply with all agreements signed by most countries of the world and ratified by their parliaments. The WTO builds its activities based on decisions taken in 1986-1994. under the Uruguay Round and earlier GATT agreements.

Discussing problems and making decisions on global problems liberalization and prospects for the further development of world trade take place within the framework of multilateral trade negotiations (rounds). To date, 8 rounds of such negotiations have been held, including Uruguay, and in 2001 the ninth started in Doha, Qatar. The organization is trying to complete negotiations on the Doha Round, which was launched with a clear focus on meeting the needs of developing countries.

The World Trade Organization (WTO), created in 1995, replaced the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) as the sole international body dealing with the global rules of trade between nations. It is not a specialized agency, but it has mechanisms and practices for cooperation with the United Nations.

The objectives of the WTO are to help streamline the trade process within a system based on certain rules; objective settlement of trade disputes between governments; organizing trade negotiations. These activities are based on 60 WTO agreements - the basic legal norms of international commerce and trade policy.

The principles on which these agreements are based include non-discrimination (most favored nation treatment and national treatment clause), freer terms of trade, promotion of competition and additional provisions for least developed countries. One of the goals of the WTO is to combat protectionism. The purpose of the WTO is not to achieve any goals or results, but to establish general principles of international trade.

According to the declaration, the work of the WTO, like the GATT before it, is based on basic principles, including:


Equal rights. All WTO members are required to provide most favored nation (MFN) trade treatment to all other members. The MFN principle means that preferences granted to one of the WTO members automatically apply to all other members of the organization in any case.

Reciprocity. All concessions in easing bilateral trade restrictions must be reciprocal, eliminating the “free-rider problem.”

Transparency. WTO members must publish their trade rules in full and have authorities responsible for providing information to other WTO members.

Creating ongoing obligations. Countries' trade tariff obligations are regulated primarily by WTO bodies rather than by relationships between countries. And if the terms of trade in a country in a particular sector deteriorate, the aggrieved party may seek compensation in other sectors.

Safety valves. In some cases, the government is able to impose trade restrictions. The WTO Agreement allows members to take measures not only to protect environment, but also to support public health, animal and plant health.

There are three types of activities in this direction:

Articles allowing the use of trade measures to achieve non-economic objectives;

Articles aimed at ensuring “fair competition”;. Members should not use environmental protection as a means to disguise protectionist policies;

Provisions allowing interference with trade for economic reasons.

Exceptions to the MFN principle also include developing and least developed countries that have preferential treatment in the WTO, regional free trade areas and customs unions.

The World Trade Organization (WTO) was created as a result of years of negotiations as part of the Uruguay Round, which ended in December 1993.

The WTO was officially established at a conference in Marrakesh in April 1994 by the Agreement Establishing the WTO, also known as the Marrakesh Agreement.

In addition to the main text, the document contains 4 appendices:

Appendix 1A:

Multilateral agreements on trade in goods:

The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade of 1994, which defines the basis of the trade regime in goods, the rights and obligations of WTO members in this area.

The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade of 1947, which defines the basis of the trade regime in goods, the rights and obligations of WTO members in this area.

Agreement on Agriculture, which defines the specifics of regulating trade in agricultural goods and mechanisms for applying measures of state support for production and trade in this sector.

Agreement on Textiles and Clothing, which defines the specifics of regulating trade in textiles and clothing.

Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Standards, which defines the conditions for the application of sanitary and phytosanitary control measures.

Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade, which defines the conditions for the application of standards, technical regulations, and certification procedures.

Agreement on Trade-Related Investment Measures, which prohibits the use of a limited range of trade policies that may affect foreign investment and would be considered contrary to GATT Article III (National Treatment) and Article XI (Prohibition of Quantitative Restrictions).

Agreement on the Application of Article VII of GATT 1994 (Customs Valuation of Goods), which defines the rules for assessing the customs value of goods.

Pre-Shipment Inspection Agreement, which defines the conditions for pre-shipment inspections.

Agreement on rules of origin, which defines rules of origin as the set of laws, regulations and rules for determining the country of origin of goods.

Agreement on Import Licensing Procedures, which establishes import licensing procedures and forms.

Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures, which defines the conditions and procedures for the application of subsidies and measures aimed at combating subsidies.

Agreement on the application of Article VI of GATT 1994 (anti-dumping), which defines the conditions and procedures for the application of measures to combat dumping.

Agreement on Safeguard Measures, which defines the conditions and procedures for applying measures to counter growing imports.

Appendix 1B:

The General Agreement on Trade in Services, which defines the basis of the regime for trade in services, the rights and obligations of WTO members in this area.

Appendix 1C:

Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights, which defines the rights and obligations of WTO members in the area of ​​intellectual property protection.

Appendix 2:

An understanding regarding the rules and procedures for dispute resolution, which sets out the terms and procedures for resolving disputes between WTO members in connection with their performance of obligations under all WTO agreements.

Appendix 3:

Trade Policy Review Mechanism, which defines the terms and general parameters of trade policy reviews of WTO members.

Appendix 4:

Non-binding multilateral trade agreements for all WTO members:

Agreement on Trade in Civil Aviation Equipment, which defines the parties' obligations to liberalize trade in this sector.

Agreement on Government Procurement, which establishes procedures for the admission of foreign companies to national procurement systems for government needs.

The WTO headquarters is located in Geneva, Switzerland.

Organizational structure of the WTO.

The official supreme body of the organization is the WTO Ministerial Conference, which meets at least once every two years. During the existence of the WTO, eight such conferences were held, almost each of which was accompanied by active protests from opponents of globalization.

The Ministerial Conference is the highest body of the WTO, consisting of representatives of member states. Meetings of the Ministerial Conference are held in accordance with Article 4 of the Marrakesh Agreement establishing the World Trade Organization of April 15, 1994, every two years or more often.

To date, 9 conferences have been held:

1. First conference - Singapore (December 1996). 4 working groups were created - on government transparency. procurement; trade promotion (customs), trade and investment; trade and competition. These groups are also known as Singapore issues;

2. Second Conference - Geneva (May 1998);

3. Third conference - Seattle (November 1999). A week before the conference, there was no agreement on the list of issues to be discussed, and growing differences between developed and developing countries (agriculture) were also evident. The conference was supposed to be the start of a new round of negotiations, but plans were thwarted by poor organization and street protests. Negotiations broke down and were moved to Doha (2001);

4. Fourth Conference - Doha (November 2001). China's accession to the WTO was approved;

5. Fifth Conference - Cancun (September 2003). 20 developing countries, led by China, India and Brazil, opposed the demand of developed countries to accept the “Singapore issues” and called on them to refuse subsidies to national agricultural producers (primarily in the EU and the USA). The negotiations did not lead to success;

6. Sixth Conference - Hong Kong (December 2005). The conference was marked by numerous protests by South Korean farmers. The conference was supposed to complete the Doha Round of subsidies Agriculture by 2006. Conference agenda: Further reduction of customs duties; Demand to stop direct subsidies to agriculture; A separate requirement for the EU regarding the Unified Agricultural Products; Singapore issues - a requirement for developed countries to introduce more transparent legislation in the field of investment, competition, government. procurement and trade facilitation;

7. Seventh Conference - Geneva (November 2009). At this conference, ministers retrospectively reviewed the work done by the WTO. According to the schedule, the conference did not hold negotiations on the Doha Round of negotiations;

8. Eighth Conference - Geneva (December 2011). In parallel to the plenary session, three working sessions were held on “The Importance of the Multilateral Trading System and the WTO”, “Trade and Development” and “The Doha Development Agenda”. The conference approved the accession of Russia, Samoa and Montenegro;

9. Ninth Conference - Bali (December 2013). Yemen's accession approved.

The organization is headed by CEO with the corresponding secretariat subordinate to it. Subordinate to the Council is a special commission on trade policy of the participating countries, designed to monitor the implementation of their obligations within the WTO. In addition to general executive functions, the General Council manages several more commissions created on the basis of agreements concluded within the WTO.

The most important of them are: the Council on Trade in Goods (the so-called GATT Council), the Council on Trade in Services and the Council on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights. In addition, under the General Council there are many other committees and working groups designed to provide the highest bodies of the WTO with information on developing countries, fiscal policy, fiscal issues, etc.

In accordance with the adopted “Understanding on the Rules and Procedures Governing the Resolution of Disputes” arising between WTO member states, the Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) is responsible for resolving disagreements. This quasi-judicial institution is designed to impartially and effectively resolve disputes between the parties. De facto, its functions are performed by the WTO General Council, which makes decisions based on reports of arbitration panels dealing with a particular dispute. In the years since the founding of the WTO, the OPC has been forced many times to resolve complex, often quite politicized, trade problems between influential WTO member states. Many decisions of the DSB over the past years are perceived ambiguously.

The WTO has 159 members, including: 155 internationally recognized UN member states, 1 partially recognized state - the Republic of China (Taiwan), 2 dependent territories - Hong Kong and Macau, as well as the European Union (EU). To join the WTO, a state must submit a memorandum through which the WTO considers trade and economic policy concerning the organization.

Member States of the World Trade Organization: Australia, Austria, Albania, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Bangladesh, Barbados, Bahrain, Belize, Belgium, Benin, Bulgaria, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Burundi , Vanuatu, UK, Hungary, Venezuela, Vietnam, Gabon, Haiti, Guyana, Gambia, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Germany, Honduras, Hong Kong, Grenada, Greece, Georgia, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, DRC, European Community, Egypt, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Israel, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Ireland, Iceland, Spain, Italy, Cape Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Qatar, Kenya, Cyprus, Kyrgyzstan, China, Colombia, Congo, Republic of Korea, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Kuwait, Latvia, Lesotho, Lithuania, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Mauritius, Mauritania, Madagascar, Macau, Republic of Macedonia, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Maldives, Malta, Morocco, Mexico, Mozambique, Moldova, Mongolia, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, the Netherlands, Nicaragua, New Zealand, Norway, UAE, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Rwanda, Romania, El Salvador, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Swaziland, Senegal, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Suriname, USA, Sierra Leone, Thailand, Taiwan, Tanzania, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, Uruguay, Fiji, Philippines, Finland, France, Croatia, Central African Republic, Chad, Montenegro, Czech Republic, Chile, Switzerland, Sweden, Sri Lanka, Ecuador, Estonia, South Africa, Jamaica, Japan.

Observers at the WTO are: Afghanistan, Algeria, Andorra, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Belarus, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Vatican City, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Comoros, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Sao Tome and Principe, Serbia, Seychelles, Sudan, Syria, Uzbekistan, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia.

Countries that are neither members nor observers to the WTO: Abkhazia, Anguilla, Aruba, East Timor, Jersey, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Guernsey, Western Sahara, Cayman Islands, Kiribati, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kosovo, Cook Islands, Curacao, Monaco, Montserrat, Nauru, Niue, Palau , San Marino, Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, Sint Maarten, Somalia, Tokelau, Turks and Caicos, Tuvalu, Turkmenistan, Federated States of Micronesia, Eritrea, South Ossetia, South Sudan.

The heads of the WTO were:

Robert Azevedo, since 2013

Pascal Lamy, 2005-2013

Supachai Panitchpakdi, 2002-2005

Mike Moore, 1999-2002

Renato Ruggiero, 1995-1999

Peter Sutherland, 1995

The heads of the WTO's predecessor, GATT, were:

Peter Sutherland, 1993-1995

Arthur Dunkel, 1980-1993

Oliver Long, 1968-1980

Eric Wyndham White, 1948-1968

World Trade organisation (WTO; English World Trade Organization (WTO), fr. Organization mondiale du commerce(OMC), Spanish Organización Mundial del Comercio ) is an international organization created on January 1, 1995 with the aim of liberalizing international trade and regulating trade and political relations of member states. The WTO was formed on the basis of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), concluded in 1947 and for almost 50 years actually performed the functions of an international organization, but was not, however, an international organization in the legal sense.

The WTO is responsible for the development and implementation of new trade agreements, and also ensures that members of the organization comply with all agreements signed by most countries of the world and ratified by their parliaments. The WTO builds its activities on the basis of decisions taken in 1986-1994 within the framework of the Uruguay Round and earlier GATT agreements. Discussions of problems and decision-making on global problems of liberalization and prospects for the further development of world trade take place within the framework of multilateral trade negotiations (rounds). To date, 8 rounds of such negotiations have been held, including Uruguay, and in 2001 the ninth started in Doha, Qatar. The organization is trying to complete negotiations on the Doha Round, which was launched with a clear focus on meeting the needs of developing countries. As of December 2012, the future of the Doha Round remains uncertain: the work program consists of 21 parts, and the original deadline of January 1, 2005 has long been missed. During the negotiations, a conflict arose between the desire for free trade and the desire of many countries for protectionism, especially in terms of agricultural subsidies. Until now, these obstacles remain the main ones and hinder any progress towards launching new negotiations within the framework of the Doha Round. As of July 2012, there are various negotiating groups in the WTO system to resolve current issues in terms of agriculture, which leads to stagnation in the negotiations themselves.

The headquarters of the WTO are located in Geneva, Switzerland. The head of the WTO (director general) is Roberto Carvalho di Azevedo, the organization itself has about 600 people on staff.

WTO rules provide a number of benefits for developing countries. Currently, developing countries - members of the WTO have (on average) a higher relative level of customs and tariff protection of their markets compared to developed ones. However, in absolute terms, the total amount of customs and tariff sanctions in developed countries is much higher, as a result of which access to markets for high-value products from developing countries is seriously limited.

WTO rules regulate only trade and economic issues. Attempts by the US and others European countries start a discussion about working conditions (which would allow us to consider insufficient legislative protection for workers competitive advantage) were rejected due to protests from developing countries, which argued that such measures would only worsen the welfare of workers due to fewer jobs, lower incomes and lower levels of competitiveness.

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History of the WTO

The growing role of world trade forced industrial countries already in the 19th century to maintain limited cooperation at the international level on issues of customs duties. The global economic crisis that broke out in 1929 and attempts to overcome it in certain developed countries by directly protecting the domestic market with high customs duties from foreign imports showed that with increasing volumes of foreign trade, its institutionalization and supranational regulation within a recognized international legal framework is necessary.

The economic foundation of the requirements for liberalization of foreign trade is the economic theory of comparative advantage, developed in early XIX century by David Ricardo.

The idea of ​​​​creating an international organization designed to regulate international trade arose even before the end of World War II. It was mainly through the efforts of the United States and Great Britain that the International Monetary Fund and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development were founded at the Bretton Woods Conference in 1944. The third pillar of the new economic order, along with the mentioned organizations, was supposed to create an International Trade Organization (ITO). For this purpose, in 1946, a meeting was convened in Havana international Conference on Trade and Employment, which was supposed to develop the substantive and legal framework of an international agreement on reducing tariffs, offer interested countries the charter of this organization, and take on a coordinating role in matters of simplifying foreign trade and reducing the customs burden on the way of goods from country to country. Already in October 1947, the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) was signed, which was initially considered only as part of a comprehensive agreement within the framework of a new international trade organization. This agreement, considered temporary, came into force on January 1, 1948.

The USSR was not invited to participate in the Havana Conference, as it refused to be a participant in the IMF and World Bank. The Soviet government feared that the great influence that the United States had in these organizations and the outbreak of confrontation between ideological blocs (the Cold War) would not allow the interests of the USSR to be adequately taken into account within these organizations.

The US Congress, however, unexpectedly refused to ratify the ITO Statute, despite the fact that the United States was the main driving force behind the organization of the ITO, and the GATT, originally a temporary agreement, continued to operate without any organizational structure that the ITO was supposed to become.

In subsequent years, the GATT, although reduced from its original form, turned out to be a fairly effective system, within which the average customs duty decreased from 40% at the time the agreement was signed in the mid-forties to 4% in the mid-nineties. In order to reduce direct customs duties and hidden, so-called non-tariff, restrictions on the import of products from abroad, rounds of negotiations were regularly held within the GATT framework between the participating countries.

The so-called Uruguay Round of negotiations, which lasted from 1986 to 1994, was the most successful. As a result of long negotiations, an agreement on the creation of the WTO was signed in Marrakech in 1994, which entered into force on January 1, 1995. The participating countries agreed that within the framework of this organization not only trade in goods would be regulated (which has been the subject of GATT since 1948), but also in connection with the increasing role of services in post-industrial society and their growing share in world trade ( at the beginning of the 21st century - about 20%) the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) was adopted, regulating this area of ​​foreign trade. Also, as part of the Marrakesh Agreement, the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs) was adopted, which regulates trade issues of rights to the results of intellectual activity and is an integral part of the legal foundation of the WTO.

Thus, almost 50 years after unsuccessful attempts to create an international organization and the existence of the temporary GATT structure regulating foreign trade issues, the WTO began work on January 1, 1995.

In the fall of 2001, the Doha Round of WTO negotiations on further liberalization of world trade was launched in the capital of Qatar. Among the issues included in it are the liberalization of global trade in agricultural products, including tariff reductions and the elimination of subsidies, financial services and intellectual property protection. However, negotiations are dragging on, largely due to the problem of access to non-agricultural markets. Developed countries want to gain more access to the industrial sector of developing countries, the latter, in turn, fear that this could lead to a slowdown in economic growth. Russia joined the World Trade Organization and became its 156th member on August 22, 2012.

Purposes and principles of the WTO

The purpose of the WTO is not to achieve any goals or results, but to establish general principles of international trade. According to the declaration, the work of the WTO, like the GATT before it, is based on basic principles, including:

There are three types of activities in this direction:

Articles allowing the use of trade measures to achieve non-economic objectives; - Articles aimed at ensuring “fair competition”;. Members should not use environmental protection measures as a means of masking protectionist policies - Provisions allowing interference with trade for economic reasons. Exceptions to the MFN principle also include developing and least developed countries that have preferential treatment in the WTO, regional free trade areas and customs unions.

Organizational structure of the WTO

The official supreme body of the organization is the WTO Ministerial Conference, which meets at least once every two years. During the existence of the WTO, ten such conferences were held, almost each of which was accompanied by active protests from opponents of globalization.

The organization is headed by the General Director with a corresponding council subordinate to him. Subordinate to the Council is a special commission on trade policy of the participating countries, designed to monitor the implementation of their obligations within the WTO. In addition to general executive functions, the General Council manages several more commissions created on the basis of agreements concluded within the WTO. The most important of them are: the Council on Trade in Goods (the so-called GATT Council), the Council on Trade in Services and the Council on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights. In addition, under the General Council there are many other committees and working groups designed to provide the highest bodies of the WTO with information on developing countries, fiscal policy, fiscal issues, etc.

Dispute Resolution Authority

In accordance with the adopted “Understanding on the Rules and Procedures Governing the Resolution of Disputes” arising between WTO member states, the Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) is responsible for resolving disagreements. This quasi-judicial institution is designed to impartially and effectively resolve disputes between the parties. De facto, its functions are performed by the WTO General Council, which makes decisions based on reports of arbitration panels dealing with a particular dispute. In the years since the founding of the WTO, the OPC has been forced many times to resolve complex, often quite politicized, trade problems between influential WTO member states. Many decisions of the DSB over the past years are perceived ambiguously.

Individual solutions

Some decisions of the Dispute Settlement Commission of the World Trade Organization that caused great public outcry:

  • 1992 GATT decision regarding US law governing tuna imports. The US Marine Mammal Protection Act prohibited the import of fish caught using a certain type of net that killed dolphins. The law applied to both U.S. and foreign fish sellers and was considered by the U.S. government to have a “legitimate goal” of protecting the environment. Mexico, as a tuna-fishing country, filed a complaint against the law, arguing that it violated free trade agreements and constituted a prohibited non-tariff restriction under GATT. The Commission's predecessor indeed recognized this law as inconsistent with free trade standards and pointed out that American government Although the contested ban pursued the legitimate goal of protecting dolphins, this goal could have been achieved by other methods that would not infringe on other countries. Tuna/Dolphin Case I (English)
  • A similar dispute regarding a law prohibiting the import into the United States of shrimp caught in a manner harmful to sea turtles was brought before the Commission within the WTO in 2000. Asian countries (India, Pakistan, Malaysia and Thailand) that used this fishing method were of the opinion that such import restrictions in the United States were nothing more than “green protectionism”, which in fact was based on the desire of developed countries to limit the entry of cheap imports , and environmental justifications are just a pretext. In considering this case, although the Commission recognized in the reasoning part of its decision the possibility that environmental protection measures could theoretically be a legitimate reason for restricting the import of certain goods, however, in a particular case, the law banning the import of shrimp, in its opinion, does not comply with the norms WTO, and the US is ordered to abolish it. Shrimp/Turtle Case
  • The bulk of trade disputes within the WTO are disputes between largest subjects international trade - the European Union and the USA. For example, the conflict regarding the high import duties on European steel introduced by the United States in March 2002 in order to support the American steel industry received wide publicity. European Union regarded this as discrimination prohibited by WTO rules and challenged these measures with a complaint to the Commission, which recognized measures to protect the American market as violating WTO rules. The US was forced to abolish discriminatory tariffs.

Accession and membership in the WTO

The WTO has 162 members, including: 158 internationally recognized UN member states, partially recognized Taiwan, 2 dependent territories (Hong Kong and Macau) and the European Union. To join the WTO, a state must submit a memorandum through which the WTO reviews the trade and economic policies of the organization concerned.

Post-Soviet countries joined the WTO in this way:

Four post-Soviet countries remain outside the WTO: Azerbaijan, Belarus, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. In 2013, Turkmenistan launched an initiative to join the WTO. In 2016, Belarus began active negotiations on accession to the WTO.

Negotiations on Russia's accession to the WTO

Negotiations on Russia's accession to the World Trade Organization lasted 18 years, from 1993 to 2011.

Based on the results of the negotiations, the Report of the Working Group on Accession was prepared Russian Federation to the World Trade Organization of November 16, 2011 No. WT/ACC/ RUS/70, WT/MIN(11)/2.

Act on Russia's accession to the WTO

December 16, 2011 - the Protocol “On the accession of the Russian Federation to the Marrakesh Agreement establishing the World Trade Organization of April 15, 1994” was signed in Geneva.

June 7, 2012 - registered in the State Duma of the Russian Federation Bill No. 89689-6 “On the ratification of the Protocol on the accession of the Russian Federation to the Marrakech Agreement establishing the World Trade Organization of April 15, 1994”

July 23, 2012 - Federal Law of July 21, 2012 No. 126-FZ “On the ratification of the Protocol on the accession of the Russian Federation to the Marrakesh Agreement establishing the World Trade Organization of April 15, 1994” published in " Rossiyskaya newspaper» N 166, on the “Official Internet portal of legal information” (www.pravo.gov.ru), in the Collection of Legislation of the Russian Federation N 30 art. 4177.

August 3, 2012- Federal Law of July 21, 2012 No. 126-FZ “On the ratification of the Protocol on the accession of the Russian Federation to the Marrakesh Agreement establishing the World Trade Organization of April 15, 1994” It entered into force (after 10 days after the day of its official publication).

August 22, 2012- according to a message from Pascal Lamy - Director General of the WTO, Russia with serial number 156 included in the official list of WTO member countries.

Official reports on the results of Russia's accession to the WTO

Critics also believe that small countries have very little influence on the WTO, and despite its stated goal of helping developing countries, developed countries focus primarily on their commercial interests. They also claim that health, safety and environmental issues are constantly being ignored in favor of additional benefits for business, which, however, directly contradicts the purposes and charter of the WTO. [ ]

In particular, the activities of the WTO are often criticized and condemned by anti-globalists.

Contrary to its stated goals, WTO membership does not protect member countries from the imposition of politically motivated unilateral economic sanctions.

A union of participating countries interested in liberalizing international trade, eliminating market barriers, and creating a favorable trade and political climate.

The WTO was established in 1995 and is the successor to the General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs, founded in 1947. The World Trade Organization pursues the goal of liberalizing world trade, regulating it using tariff methods by reducing existing barriers, restrictions, and import duties.

The WTO monitors the implementation of trade agreements between members of the organization, ensures negotiations between them, resolves disputes, and monitors the situation on the international market. The WTO head office is based in Geneva and employs more than 630 people.

Today, 164 countries are members of the WTO, 161 of them are recognized states. Russia joined the World Trade Organization on August 22, 2012, becoming the 156th member. Previously, other countries of the post-Soviet space were included in the list of participants - Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Estonia, Georgia, Lithuania, Armenia, Ukraine.

Principles and rules

The goal of the creation and functioning of the World Trade Organization is free trade at the international level. The work of the WTO is guided by the following principles:

  • valid for all participating countries common rights. Preferences established for one WTO member apply to other members;
  • the activities of participants are transparent, countries must prepare and print reports to familiarize other WTO members with the rules they have established;
  • Participants must comply with trade tariff obligations established by the organization, not those developed independently.

The WTO Agreement allows members of the organization to take measures aimed at preserving flora and fauna, protecting health and the environment. When establishing trade restrictions, the disadvantaged party may insist on commensurate compensation in another sector of the economy, for example, on special concessions.

Structure

The WTO has a ramified structure, determined by a number of problems that require solutions in the international market:

  • The Ministerial Conference is the highest body of the association, convened at least once every 2 years.
  • The General Council of the WTO plays a leadership role and controls the work of other departments.
  • The GATT Council determines the relationships between participants in the field of trade in goods.
  • Trade Services Council.
  • Advice legal issues and protection of individual property.
  • Dispute Resolution Body - Provides fair and impartial resolution of conflicts at the international level.

The WTO includes representative bodies of countries with developing economies, a committee on fiscal policy and information, which are subordinate to the General Council.

The WTO has been operating since January 1, 1995, the decision to create it was made at the end of many years of negotiations within the framework of the Uruguay Round of GATT, which ended in December 1993. The WTO was officially formed at a conference in Marrakesh in April 1994, therefore the Agreement establishing the WTO is also called the Marrakesh Agreement.

While the GATT was concerned with regulating only trade in goods, the scope of the WTO is broader: in addition to trade in goods, it also regulates trade in services and trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights. The WTO has the legal status of a specialized agency of the UN system.

Initially, 77 countries joined the WTO, but by mid-2003, 146 countries – developed, developing and post-socialist – were already members. The “variegated” composition of the WTO member states is reflected in the very emblem of this organization.

Some ex-Soviet countries also joined the WTO: Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, Kyrgyzstan. An important event was the entry into the WTO in December 2001 of China, considered one of the most promising participants in world trade. The WTO member countries account for approximately 95% of world trade turnover - in essence, almost the entire world market without Russia. A number of other countries have officially expressed their desire to join this organization and have the status of observer states. In 2003 there were 29 such countries, including the Russian Federation and some other post-Soviet states (Ukraine, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan).

Tasks of the WTO.

The main task of the WTO is to promote smooth international trade. Developed countries, on whose initiative the WTO was created, believe that it is economic freedom in international trade that contributes to economic growth and improved economic well-being of people.

It is currently believed that the world trading system should comply with the following five principles.

1). No discrimination in trade.

No state should disadvantage any other country by imposing restrictions on the export and import of goods. Ideally, in the domestic market of any country there should be no differences in the terms of sale between foreign products and national ones.

2). Reducing trade (protectionist) barriers.

Trade barriers are factors that reduce the possibility of foreign goods entering the domestic market of a country. These include, first of all, customs duties and import quotas (quantitative restrictions on imports). International trade is also affected by administrative barriers and foreign exchange rate policies.

3). Stability and predictability of trading conditions.

Foreign companies, investors and governments must be confident that trade conditions (tariff and non-tariff barriers) will not be changed suddenly and arbitrarily.

4). Stimulating competition in international trade.

For equal competition between firms from different countries, it is necessary to stop “unfair” methods of competition - such as export subsidies (state assistance to exporting firms), the use of dumping (deliberately low) prices to capture new markets.

5). Benefits in international trade for less developed countries.

This principle partly contradicts the previous ones, but it is necessary for drawing into the world economy the underdeveloped countries of the periphery, which obviously cannot compete with developed countries on equal terms at first. Therefore, it is considered “fair” to give special privileges to underdeveloped countries.

In general, the WTO promotes the ideas of free trade, fighting for the elimination of protectionist barriers.

Practical principles of the WTO.

The activities of the WTO are based on three international agreements signed by the majority of states actively participating in world economic relations: the General Agreement on Trade in Goods (GATT) as amended in 1994, the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) and the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) . The main purpose of these agreements is to provide assistance to firms from all countries engaged in export-import transactions.

Implementation of WTO agreements, as a rule, brings not only long-term benefits, but also short-term difficulties. For example, reducing protective customs tariffs makes it easier for buyers to purchase cheaper foreign goods, but can lead to the ruin of domestic producers if they produce goods at high costs. Therefore, according to WTO rules, member states are allowed to carry out the envisaged changes not instantly, but gradually, according to the principle of “progressive liberalization”. However, developing countries are usually given a longer period to fully implement their obligations.

Free Trade Commitments , accepted by all WTO members constitute the “multilateral trading” system. Most countries on the planet, including all major importing and exporting countries, are members of this system. However, a number of states are not included in it, which is why the system is called “multilateral” (and not “worldwide”). In the future, as the number of WTO participants expands, the “multilateral trade” system should turn into truly “world trade”.

Main functions of the WTO:

– control over compliance with the requirements of the basic WTO agreements;

– creating conditions for negotiations between WTO member countries regarding foreign economic relations;

– settlement of disputes between states on issues of foreign economic trade policy;

– control over the policies of WTO member states in the field of international trade;

– providing assistance to developing countries;

– cooperation with other international organizations.

Since the texts of agreements are drawn up and signed by a large number of countries involved in foreign trade relations, they often give rise to debates and disputes. Often, parties entering into negotiations have different goals. In addition, agreements and contracts (including those concluded after lengthy negotiations mediated by the WTO) often require further interpretation. Therefore, one of the main tasks of the WTO is precisely to serve as a kind of mediator in trade negotiations and to facilitate the settlement of disputes.

The practice of international economic conflicts has shown that controversial issues are best resolved in the manner established by the WTO, based on a mutually agreed upon legal framework and providing the parties with equal rights and opportunities. It is for this purpose that the texts of agreements signed within the WTO necessarily include a clause on the rules for settling disputes. As the text of the agreement on rules and procedures for dispute settlement states, “the WTO dispute settlement system is key element in ensuring security and predictability of the global trading system."

WTO members undertake not to take unilateral action against possible violations of trade rules. Moreover, they undertake to resolve disputes within the framework of the multilateral dispute settlement system and to comply with its rules and decisions. Solutions for controversial issues are adopted by all member states usually by consensus, which is an additional incentive to strengthen agreement within the WTO.

Organizational structure of the WTO.

The governing bodies of the WTO have three hierarchical levels (Fig. 1).

Strategic decisions at the highest level in the WTO are taken by the Ministerial Conference, which meets at least once every two years.

Subordinate to the Ministerial Conference is the General Council, which is responsible for carrying out day-to-day work and meets several times a year at the headquarters in Geneva, composed of representatives of WTO member countries (usually ambassadors and heads of delegations of member countries). The General Council has two special bodies - for the analysis of trade policy and for the resolution of disputes. In addition, special committees report to the General Council: on trade and development; on restrictions related to the trade balance; on budget, finance and administrative issues.

The WTO General Council acts as a dispute resolution body to resolve conflicts arising in connection with the implementation of basic agreements. It has exclusive powers to establish arbitral panels to consider specific disputes, approve reports submitted by such panels as well as the appellate body, monitor the implementation of decisions and recommendations, and authorize retaliatory measures in the event of non-compliance with recommendations.

The General Council partially delegates its functions to three councils located at the next level of the WTO hierarchy - the Council for Trade in Goods, the Council for Trade in Services and the Council for Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights.

The Council for Trade in Goods, in turn, manages the activities of specialized committees that monitor compliance with WTO principles and the implementation of GATT 1994 agreements in the field of trade in goods.

The Council for Trade in Services monitors the implementation of the GATS agreement. It includes the Committee on Trade in Financial Services and the Working Group on Professional Services.

The Council on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights, in addition to monitoring implementation of the TRIPS agreement, also addresses issues related to the international trade in counterfeit goods.

The WTO Secretariat, which is based in Geneva, has approximately 500 full-time staff; it is headed by the Director General of the WTO (since 2002 - Supachai Panitchpakdi). The WTO Secretariat, unlike similar bodies of other international organizations, does not make independent decisions, since this function is assigned to the member countries themselves. The Secretariat's main responsibilities are to provide technical support to the various WTO councils and committees as well as the Ministerial Conference, provide technical assistance to developing countries, conduct global trade analysis and explain WTO provisions to the public and the media. The Secretariat also provides some forms of legal assistance in the dispute resolution process and advises governments of countries wishing to become members of the WTO.

Contradictions between WTO member countries.

Although the WTO charter declares the equality of all member countries, within this organization there are strong objective contradictions between developed and developing countries.

Developing countries have cheap but not very skilled labor. Therefore, Third World states can import mainly traditional goods - primarily fabrics and clothing, and agricultural products. Developed countries, while protecting their textile industries and agribusinesses, limit imports from developing countries by imposing high customs duties on imported goods. They usually justify their protectionist measures by claiming that developing countries are using a dumping policy. In turn, developed countries are leaders in the markets for high-tech goods, and now developing countries are using protectionist measures against them.

Thus, almost all countries resort to protectionist protection to one degree or another. Therefore, the mutual reduction of protectionist barriers becomes a rather difficult process.

Liberalization of world trade is also complicated by the fact that developed and developing countries differ greatly in economic strength. Therefore, the countries of the “poor South” constantly (and not without reason) suspect the countries of the “rich North” that they want to impose on them a system of world economic relations that is more beneficial to developed than developing countries. In turn, developed countries rightly note that many states openly speculate on their underdevelopment, trying to beg for concessions and benefits in international trade relations instead of carrying out economic modernization.

The asymmetry of relations between developed and developing countries is most clearly visible in the issue of protection of intellectual property rights. It's about, first of all, about the fight against counterfeiting - mainly in third world countries - of trademarks of well-known companies in developed countries. Naturally, the countries of the “rich North” are much more interested in this struggle than the states of the “poor South”.

Liberalization of world trade is still objectively beneficial for both developed and developing countries. It is known, for example, that the accession of developing countries to the WTO sharply increases the influx of foreign investment into them. Therefore, WTO member countries seek and find compromise solutions to difficult problems.

The development strategy of the WTO was the gradual attraction of more and more countries to it, but the less developed a country’s economy is, the longer the period it has to fully implement the principles of free trade.

Benefits for new participating countries are clearly visible, first of all, in the level of tariffs on imported goods. If we compare the average level of tariffs of WTO member countries (Table 1) with the conditions under which some countries entered the WTO (Table 2), the privileged position of the new members is noticeable. They are often allowed to apply higher import tariffs than the WTO average; Moreover, they are introducing these tariffs after a many-year transition period. Thus, new WTO participants can immediately benefit from lower tariffs on exports of their goods abroad, and the difficulties of reducing protectionist protection are eased.

Table 2. IMPORT TARIFF REQUIREMENTS FOR SOME WTO ACCESSED COUNTRIES
A country Year of accession to the WTO Tariffs on agricultural goods Tariffs for other goods
Ecuador 1996 25.8%, transition period 5 years, application of special protective measures for some goods 20,1%
Panama 1997 26.1%, transition period up to 14 years, application of special protective measures for some goods 11.5%, transition period up to 14 years
Latvia 1999 33.6%; transition period 9 years 9.3%, transition period 9 years
Estonia 1999 17.7%, transition period 5 years 6.6%, transition period 6 years
Jordan 2000 25%, transition period 10 years
Oman 2000 30.5%, transition period 4 years 11%, transition period 4 years
Lithuania 2001 generally from 15 to 35% (maximum 50%), transition period 8 years generally from 10 to 20% (maximum 30%), transition period 4 years
Compiled according to the Russia and WTO website: www.wto.ru

Fighting against restrictions imposed in developed countries on imports from the Third World, developing countries resort to WTO arbitration and seek the abolition of “anti-dumping” measures. So, in the first years of the 21st century. India appealed to the WTO to protest against the US and EU, which were imposing restrictions on the import of textiles and clothing made in India; After lengthy proceedings, the WTO ordered the defendants to cancel protectionist measures. However, conflicts of this kind often arise not only between developed and developing countries, but also between different developing countries. For example, in the second half of 2001, India initiated 51 anti-dumping proceedings at the WTO, of which 9 were against China, 7 against Singapore, 3 against Thailand.

Russia and the WTO.

As the Russian economy is increasingly integrated into world trade, there is an urgent need for our country to join the work of international economic organizations. Even during the existence of the USSR, contacts were established with the GATT. Since 1995, negotiations have been ongoing on Russia's accession to the WTO.

By joining the WTO, Russia will have the opportunity to use this entire mechanism to protect its foreign trade interests. Need it for Russian entrepreneurs grew when, in response to a serious increase in the openness of its internal market, Russia did not see reciprocal steps from Western countries. Instead, it was faced with trade barriers precisely for those goods where Russia has a comparative advantage in international trade, and with unfair competition from a number of foreign firms in foreign markets, as well as in the Russian domestic market.

Russia's accession to the WTO can help strengthen the stability, predictability and openness of the country's foreign trade regime, the shortcomings of which have been complained about not only by foreign trade partners of the Russian Federation, but also by exporters and importers in Russia itself.

By joining the WTO, Russia will have to assume a number of obligations contained in the WTO agreements. Along with its obligations, Russia will also receive rights that will allow it to better protect its foreign trade interests and accelerate its integration into the world economy.

The main prerequisite for successfully overcoming difficulties in the field of transformation of legislation and using its advantages within the WTO is the effective continuation of the process of improving legislation within the framework of liberal economic reforms, because this process almost completely coincides with the adaptation of legislation to the norms and rules of the WTO. We are talking, first of all, about eliminating unnecessary administrative pressure on enterprises and increasing the degree of transparency of all legislation.

From liberalization and unification Russian system state regulation the following benefits are expected:

– simplification and rationalization of procedures for confirming the compliance of manufactured products with international standards, and hence – acceleration of the turnover of funds;

– increasing the competitiveness of products of Russian companies through a more flexible system of technical requirements and harmonization of national and international requirements;

– increasing the investment attractiveness of the Russian economy;

– reducing costs and eliminating duplication in oversight and compliance;

– reducing the number of documents and increasing the transparency of the regulatory system.

But liberalization of foreign economic relations will inevitably lead to significant negative consequences. This process will affect all spheres of the country’s life – political, social, industrial, financial and economic.

In the political sphere, accepting the obligations imposed by agreements with WTO member countries will lead to the inevitable weakening of national sovereignty. The restrictions will affect all branches of government - the executive (it will constantly be required to fulfill international obligations, even to the detriment of national interests), legislative (regulatory acts will have to be brought into compliance with WTO requirements), judicial (legal disputes for possible violations will be considered in international courts).

In the field of social relations, joining the WTO is also fraught with negative consequences: many enterprises, and possibly entire industries, will not be able to withstand competition with the influx of foreign goods and services. It is not yet clear what the scale of job cuts may be, but it is likely that we will be talking about hundreds of thousands of unemployed people (primarily in the light and food industries). This will require large expenditures on social support, retraining, creation of new jobs, etc. This requires enormous funds, which, however, can partially be obtained from WTO partners.

Since Russian producers will have to compete with foreign ones in both the foreign and domestic markets for all product groups under very tough conditions, in the economic sphere itself, crisis phenomena can develop in two main directions.

On the one hand, foreign companies will certainly make – and on completely legal grounds – claims regarding dumping allegedly used by Russian exporters. The fact is that the cost structure of our competitive goods is very different from the world one (primarily due to savings on wages, on energy and on ecology). Therefore, Russia will be required, for example, to increase domestic energy prices, bringing them into line with world prices.

On the other hand, competition with cheaper and higher-quality goods from foreign companies will sharply intensify in the domestic market. According to some expert estimates, only 25% of domestic enterprises will be able to compete with foreign manufacturers in the domestic market. When Russia joins the WTO, the following industries will suffer: agriculture, light industry, agricultural machinery and the automotive industry, in particular the production of trucks. For others, reducing customs barriers is unprofitable, since it can lead to ruin. Therefore, as a condition for joining the WTO, Russia insists on maintaining high customs duties to protect the domestic market from subsidized products from Europe, Asia and other countries.

In this regard, so-called adaptation measures are envisaged, in particular, it is planned to adopt a law on extending the exemption of agricultural enterprises from income tax until 2016 and minimizing VAT.

Since immediate and full fulfillment of the conditions for joining the WTO seems impossible for Russia, there have been heated debates in our country regarding the advisability of this accession.

In June 2012, deputies from opposition parties submitted a request to the Constitutional Court to verify the compliance of the international treaty on Russia’s accession to the WTO with the Basic Law of the Russian Federation. On July 9, 2012, the Constitutional Court recognized that agreements with the WTO are legal.

The Russian economy will inevitably suffer major losses after joining the WTO.

Dmitry Preobrazhensky, Yuri Latov

Literature:

Afontsev S . Accession to the WTO: economic and political prospects.– Pro et contra. T. 7., 2002
Gorban M., Guriev S., Yudaeva K. Russia in the WTO: myths and reality. – Economic issues. 2002, no. 2
Maksimova M. Accession to the WTO: will we win or lose?- Man and work. 2002, No. 4
Dumoulin I.I. world Trade organisation. M., ZAO Publishing House "Economy", 2002, 2003
Internet resources: WTO website (Official website of the WTO) – http://www.wto.org/
Russia and the World Trade Organization (Russian WTO website) – http://www.wto.ru/
World Trade Organization: the future of successful trade begins today – http://www.aris.ru/VTO/VTO_BOOK



For 18 long years, the Russian Federation has been seeking entry into the World Trade Organization. In 2012, our country nevertheless entered this union. Such a grandiose event gave rise to many disputes between politicians and public figures. And then in 2018, news appeared about Russia’s possible withdrawal from the organization. What could have happened? Why and when did Russia join the WTO? We will try to understand everything in our article.

The role of the WTO on the world stage

Before examining the question of why Russia joined the WTO, it is necessary to give a brief description of the organization itself. The World Trade Union (or organization) was created on January 1, 1995. It aimed to liberalize interstate trade and regulate the political relations of its member countries. The WTO was formed on the basis of GATT - the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.

The headquarters of the trade union is located in the capital of Switzerland. In total, the union consists of 164 states. The WTO is responsible for the formation and implementation of new trade agreements. It monitors compliance by its members with all ratified norms. Union member countries have a relatively high level of customs and tariff protection. The basic principles of the organization are reciprocity, equality and transparency.

Russia's accession to the WTO

The start date of negotiations can be set as 1986. Even then, the leadership of the Soviet Union announced its intention to conclude an agreement with the GATT. The application was rejected at the insistence of the United States. The states motivated this by the fact that the USSR was implementing a planned economy that was incompatible with the free market. However, after 4 years Soviet Union nevertheless received observer status.

The USSR collapsed, a new state emerged - the Russian Federation. In 1993, the Constitution was adopted. At the same time, official negotiations on accession to the WTO began. They lasted an incredibly long time. Most of the problems for the Russian Federation were created by the European Union and the United States.

The question of when Russia will join the WTO was complicated by the Russian authorities themselves. 208 people out of 446 voted strongly opposed the participation of the Russian Federation in the international trade union. The law, however, was still ratified. It was approved by the Federation Council and the President. At the beginning of 2012, Russia was presented with a number of conditions, subject to which the country could enter the union.

Conditions for joining the WTO

Full text The requirements put forward by WTO members to Russia can be found on the website of the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation. Most of the changes affected customs duties. Two lists of obligations were presented - for goods and services. Russia was temporarily limited in admitting foreigners from WTO members to the domestic market.

Two important principles came into force. The first is “about the national regime”. It means that tax, procedural and private law rules are equivalent for both Russians and foreign persons. The second principle is “the favored nation.” If Russia provides favorable treatment for some persons of one WTO member country, then such a treatment will automatically apply to all other persons of any other member of the organization.

When did Russia join the WTO? On July 21, 2012, the Russian President signed the Federal Law “On Russia’s accession to the Marrakech Agreement on the Establishment of the World Trade Union.”

Why did Russia join the WTO?

“The country has confidently stepped towards the West, and this will be reflected, first of all, in the quality of life of the Russians themselves.” It was precisely such speeches that could be heard from the domestic media when Russia joined the WTO. The authorities also began to assure the people of the importance and epochal significance of the event. Was it all true? Opinions on this issue disagree. You can form your own conclusion by looking at the main goals that Russia wanted to achieve in the WTO

The primary task of the state when entering the trade union was to modernize relations with the West in the form of opening domestic markets and reducing tariffs. Russia's goals in the WTO are as follows:

  • participation in the formation of rules of interstate trade, taking into account national interests;
  • improving Russia's image on the world stage;
  • access to an interstate mechanism for resolving trade conflicts;
  • receiving better conditions access of domestic products to the world market;
  • expanding opportunities for Russian investors in WTO member states.

Pursuing these goals, the Russian authorities have developed an important principle for themselves: the country’s rights and obligations in the WTO should contribute to economic growth, but not vice versa.

Russia in the WTO: main advantages

What positive aspects should have followed Russia's accession to the WTO? The first indisputable advantage that immediately comes to mind is the improvement of the country's image on the world stage. It is unlikely that anyone will dare to ignore the fact that Russia is a country that is incomprehensible to many and, in many ways, even dangerous. This is far from a European state, but there are not many oriental elements in it either. The Russian authorities must try very hard to show how our country can be useful on the world stage. The long-awaited access to the WTO is a clear improvement in the image of the Russian Federation.

When Russia joined the WTO, Russian media tirelessly reported on the speedy reduction of prices for most products. Allegedly, the cost of goods will fall within a couple of years after joining the trade union. Prices have really dropped. But the decrease was insignificant and it did not affect all goods. Free access to established trade schemes bore fruit, which was undoubtedly a great advantage for Russia at that time. However, the joy did not last long. Two years later, the United States and the European Union applied the first package of sanctions against our country.

Economic growth

Russia joined the WTO in a year of optimal economic development. 2012 was marked by presidential elections and new reforms. Numerous sanctions have not yet denigrated the economic and political situation in the country. Thanks to the union with the WTO, competition in Russia has increased. The result was the modernization of the domestic economy.

The lending rate was lowered - both for the ordinary population and for small and enterprises. big business. Some domestic manufacturers were able to enter the world market. This made them pay attention to the quality of their products. The consequence of this was increased competition.

Some import duties have been significantly reduced. Medicines, clothing, IT products and other goods have become more accessible to the population. Finally, the principle of transparency of WTO trade legislation made it possible to build complex and high-quality relationships between the parties.

So why did Russia join the WTO? Looking at the listed advantages, answering this question becomes not at all difficult. The country could experience a real economic recovery. Unfortunately, this did not happen due to the Ukrainian conflict, in which Russia intervened. Sanctions were imposed on the country, and some deputies seriously thought about leaving the WTO. In their bill, they provided a list of disadvantages that membership in a trade union gives Russia.

Russia in the WTO: main disadvantages

The possibility of unemployment in the domestic market is the first and main disadvantage. Russian enterprises may simply not be able to withstand competition with foreign manufacturers. The situation may worsen in so-called “factory” cities - where the majority of the population is involved in production.

Import duties were reduced. This led to the fact that a number of goods became unprofitable to produce in Russia. These are agricultural products, and most importantly - the automobile industry. Thus, the customs duty on the import of used cars fell 4 times. The authorities are already actively fighting this phenomenon. She diligently, although not very successfully, promotes the policy of “import substitution.”

In addition to import duties, export duties may also be reduced. Because of this, the country's budget may be at a loss. However, there is no need to be afraid of an increase in public debt for now: the government has created many other problems for itself.

Consequences of Russia's accession to the WTO

Experts are confident that joining the trade union will entail a reduction in duties on many goods. Thus, by 2019, the duty on cars should fall from 30 to 15 percent. Following the auto industry, prices for alcohol, household appliances, clothing and much more will fall.

Russia's participation in the WTO is expected to generate an additional $2 billion per year. The Russian economy will grow due to foreign investment. The external environment will change. Competition will increase, tariff barriers will decrease, and the government will reduce a number of protectionist measures.

Criticism of Russia's participation in the WTO

The question of whether Russia has joined the WTO has worried many political scientists and economists. Experts were worried that the losses from joining the union would be much higher than the possible benefits. Back in 2006, experts calculated that the benefits of domestic enterprises after joining the WTO would amount to $23 billion, and losses - $90 billion. However, everything turned out a little differently. Russia entered the union on preferential terms, which allowed it not to change its customs policy at all during the first three years.

In 2012, Vladimir Putin did not side with WTO critics. He said that modernizing the Russian economy would be simply impossible if the government decided to ignore the issue of joining the union. When Russia joined the WTO (the date and year are indicated above), the main critics of this step were members of the Communist Party faction.

The question of Russia's withdrawal from the WTO

Deputies from the Communist Party faction have already developed a bill aimed at the systematic withdrawal of the Russian Federation from the World Trade Union. The document talks about the year in which Russia joined the WTO and what followed. 900 billion rubles were lost over five years of membership, and by 2020 the amount of damage will amount to 12-14 trillion rubles

What threatens Russia's exit from the WTO? Unfortunately, no one knows. According to international agreement, there is a right to withdraw, but no one has used it. Russia can set a precedent. With a high degree of probability, it will entail the imposition of severe sanctions on the offending party.