A New Global Trade Deal

An international agreement estimated to boost global trade by $1 trillion a year has entered into force. Roberto Azevedo, the Director General of the World Trade Organization, called this agreement "the biggest reform of global trade in a generation".

It is necessary to recall that the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) was finally agreed in 2013, at a meeting in Bali, but could not come into force until 110 countries had ratified it.

The TFA involves streamlining customs procedures, which is considered to have a bigger impact than eliminating all existing taxes (tariffs) on imports. Countries will sign up to a long list of reforms, including easier access for businesses to information, reduced fees and simpler and faster procedures.

According to the WTO economists, the agreement would cut the cost of trading by about 14.3%. They also said that the developing nations would gain the most.

The Trade Facilitation Agreement is one of the few successes of a much wider set of negotiations that were launched in 2001 at the Doha Round.

Source:
http://www.bbc.com/news/business-39049074