WTO Trade Agreement enters into force
/On February 22, 2017, the first multi-lateral trade agreement in the history of the World Trade Organization (WTO) was entered into force. The 110 nation ratification threshold for triggering the Trade Facilitation Agreement ("Agreement") was reached with the ratification and submission of instruments of acceptance by Rwanda, Oman, Chad and Jordan.
While this is an important milestone, the hard work of implementation is just beginning. Developed countries have in principle agreed to implement the Agreement immediately, while developing countries have a longer timetable to implement the provisions of the Agreement.
The following members have accepted the TFA: Hong Kong, Singapore, the United States, Mauritius, Malaysia, Japan, Australia, Botswana, Trinidad and Tobago, the Republic of Korea, Nicaragua, Niger, Belize, Switzerland, Chinese Taipei, China, Liechtenstein, Lao PDR, New Zealand, Togo, Thailand, the European Union, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Pakistan, Panama, Guyana, Cote d'Ivoire, Grenada, Saint Lucia, Kenya, Myanmar, Norway, Vietnam, Brunei Darussalam, Ukraine, Zambia, Lesotho, Georgia, Seychelles, Jamaica, Mali, Cambodia, Paraguay, Turkey, Brazil, Macao China, the United Arab Emirates, Samoa, India, the Russian Federation, Montenegro, Albania, Kazakhstan, Sri Lanka, St. Kitts and Nevis, Madagascar, the Republic of Moldova, El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico, Peru, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Senegal, Uruguay, Bahrain, Bangladesh, the Philippines, Iceland, Chile, Swaziland, Dominica, Mongolia, Gabon, the Kyrgyz Republic, Canada, Ghana, Mozambique, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines, Nigeria, Nepal, Rwanda, Oman, Chad and Jordan.
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