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The construction of the coalition is partly the natural result of economic integration, with more customs unions, free trade zones and common markets being established around the world. It is also seen as a way for smaller countries to increase their bargaining power in negotiations with their major trading partners and to ensure that they are represented in consultations between smaller groups of members. Sometimes, when groups of countries adopt common positions, it is easier to reach consensus. Sometimes political groups are specifically designed to compromise and break a deadlock, rather than sticking to a common position. But there are no strict and quick rules on the impact of groups in the WTO. Multilateral trade agreements are at the heart of the WTO. These are the basic rules of international trade, which include goods, services and intellectual property, that all WTO members must respect. The World Trade Organization is a global organization of 164 member countries that deals with the rules of trade between nations. The goal is to ensure that exchanges are as smooth and predictable as possible. An interpretation of one of the multilateral trade agreements can be adopted by a three-quarters majority of WTO members. The WTO accession process is unique for each candidate country and the conditions for accession depend on the country`s economic development phase and the current trade regime. [88] The process takes on average about five years, but may take longer if the country does not feel fully engaged in the process or when political issues arise.
The shortest accession negotiation was in the Kyrgyz Republic, while the longest was russia, which, after first asking to join the GATT in 1993, was admitted to membership in December 2011 and became a member of the WTO on 22 August 2012. [89] Kazakhstan has also gone through a long accession process. The Kazakhstan Accession Working Group was established in 1996 and admitted to membership in 2015. [90] The second longest was Vanuatu, whose Vanuatu Accession Working Group was established on 11 July 1995. After a final meeting of the group in October 2001, Vanuatu requested more time to review the terms of membership. In 2008, it expressed interest in the resumption and conclusion of its WTO membership. The Vanuutus accession working group was informally convened on 4 April 2011 to discuss the future accession of Vanuu. The re-convened working group completed its mandate on 2 May 2011. On 26 October 2011, the General Council formally approved the Vanuatu accession package. On 24 August 2012, the WTO welcomed Vanuatu as its 157th member. [91] The offer of membership is made only after agreement between the interested parties.
[92] Three other councils, each dealing with a different trade area, report to the General Council: the Uruguay Round has created new rules for trade in services and intellectual property as well as new dispute resolution procedures. The complete set consists of approximately 30,000 pages, consisting of some thirty separate agreements and commitments (timetables) of individual members in specific areas such as. B lower rates and opening up the market to services.