WTO after the 12th Ministerial Conference – the effects of the arrangements in the light of the reform of the World Trade Organization
2023, 2023, No. 4
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This article reflects on the outcomes of the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC12), which took place on 12–17 June 2022 in Geneva. The aim of the article is to analyse the effects of this meeting in the context of the reform of the multilateral system. For this purpose, the following research questions were posed: (1) What arrangements were made during MC12? (2) Are the adopted agreements relevant for the future reform of the multilateral system within the WTO? The analysis presented in the study demonstrated that this conference, which had been postponed several times due to the COVID-19 pandemic, was a confirmation that the negotiating crisis of recent years had been overcome. Additionally, the author emphasised that the agreements reached among the representatives of 164 member countries should be seen as a success, especially in view of the international tensions accompanying the meeting. The arrangements that were made, therefore, also provide a deeper understanding of the functioning of the multilateral system within the WTO and its complexities. The structure of the article consists of an introduction, two sections presenting the results of the analysis, and conclusions. Methodologically, the article is mainly based on a critical analysis of WTO source documents and academic studies on international trade policy.
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