descifrando los códigos de la omc: para entender la terminología de las negociaciones comerciales

This guide, published by Friends of the Earth International, serves as a reference manual for activists to understand the terminology and jargon used in World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations. It provides alphabetical definitions of key trade terms, agreements, and institutional bodies, focusing on the legal and procedural framework of the international trading system.

• The World Trade Organization (WTO) was established on January 1, 1995, and consists of 146 member countries. Its primary purpose is to ensure the application of the Uruguay Round agreements to promote trade liberalization and free trade, serving as a permanent forum for multilateral trade negotiations.
• The Uruguay Round, which began in 1986 in Punta del Este, Uruguay, and concluded in Marrakech, Morocco, in April 1994, resulted in the creation of the WTO and a comprehensive package of trade agreements. These include the GATT 1994, the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), and the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS).
• The WTO employs a 'single undertaking' (compromiso único) approach to negotiations, meaning that results across different negotiation spheres are treated as a single package. This allows members to trade concessions across different areas to reach a mutual agreement.
• The WTO's dispute settlement mechanism involves a process where disputes are handled by a Dispute Settlement Body (DSB). This includes the use of special panels of experts and an Appellate Body, which functions as a 'Supreme Court' for the WTO, issuing reports that can confirm, modify, or reverse the findings of the initial panels.
• The 'Singapore Issues' identified in 1996 focus on four areas: trade and investment, trade and competition policy, trade facilitation, and transparency in government procurement. The ultimate goal of these discussions is to increase market access for foreign companies, particularly those from the US, Japan, and Europe, in the markets of WTO members, especially developing countries.
• The Doha Ministerial Declaration of 2001 established the 'Doha Development Agenda,' which includes mandates for negotiations on trade and the environment, special and differential treatment for developing countries, and the relationship between trade, debt, and finance.
• The 'Green Room' process refers to closed-door meetings involving a limited number of selected WTO members—typically major developed countries—who work toward an agreement that is later presented to all members for general approval.

APA

Friends of the Earth International (n.d.). descifrando los códigos de la omc: para entender la terminología de las negociaciones comerciales. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/wtoglossaryspanish_lowresol.pdf

Chicago

Friends of the Earth International. descifrando los códigos de la omc: para entender la terminología de las negociaciones comerciales. n.d. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/wtoglossaryspanish_lowresol.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Friends of the Earth International |title=descifrando los códigos de la omc: para entender la terminología de las negociaciones comerciales |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/wtoglossaryspanish_lowresol.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{friendsoftheearthinternationalnddescifrando, author = {{Friends of the Earth International}}, title = {{descifrando los códigos de la omc: para entender la terminología de las negociaciones comerciales}}, institution = {Friends of the Earth International}, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/wtoglossaryspanish_lowresol.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }