GENEVA – As the global economy strives to emerge from the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Trade Organization (WTO) and World Customs Organization (WCO) are playing pivotal roles in steering international trade toward a more resilient, sustainable, and inclusive future. Recent events in Geneva – the WTO Public Forum and a joint meeting between WCO and its Private Sector Consultative Group (PSCG) – brought together leaders, experts, and stakeholders to explore how trade can power economic recovery while addressing emerging challenges and opportunities.
WTO Public Forum: Engine of Trade Recovery and Ambition for Action
From September 27-30, 2022, WTO headquarters in Geneva became the epicenter of global trade discourse. Over 3,200 participants, including representatives from civil society, academia, business, media, governments, parliaments, and intergovernmental organizations, along with 670 speakers, convened for more than 140 sessions to shape the future of global commerce.
This year's forum, themed "Towards a Sustainable and Inclusive Recovery: Ambition for Action," aimed to strengthen trade rules, refine government policies, and build more resilient, sustainable, and inclusive trading systems. Key discussion areas included:
- Strengthening the multilateral trading system: With rising geopolitical tensions and protectionism, maintaining and enhancing the rules-based multilateral trading system remains crucial. Discussions focused on WTO reform to better address 21st-century trade challenges.
- Advancing sustainability: Trade plays a vital role in achieving Sustainable Development Goals. Sessions explored leveraging trade for green economic transitions, climate action, biodiversity protection, and improved labor/environmental standards.
- Achieving inclusive growth: Ensuring trade benefits reach all, particularly developing nations, SMEs, and vulnerable groups. Discussions covered trade barrier reduction, facilitation measures, and technical assistance.
- Addressing emerging challenges: From digital trade and e-commerce to geopolitical risks and supply chain disruptions, the forum examined responses to new challenges and opportunities.
The WCO has been an active participant in WTO Public Forums, organizing sessions and providing speakers to elevate customs' role in cross-border trade. This year's participation highlighted customs' critical functions in trade facilitation, security, and societal protection.
WCO-PSCG Joint Session: Disruptive Technologies and E-Commerce in Focus
On the forum's opening day, WCO and PSCG co-hosted a special session examining disruptive technologies and e-commerce's role in post-pandemic recovery from a customs perspective. Experts from customs administrations, WTO, and private sectors discussed:
- E-commerce growth and challenges
- Public-private partnerships
- Applications of disruptive technologies
- Data utilization in trade processes
The session emphasized collaborative approaches between public and private sectors, along with data's growing importance in risk management, strategic decision-making, and compliance systems.
Key Insights from Panelists:
Ricardo Treviño Chapa (WCO Deputy Secretary General): Highlighted WCO's e-commerce initiatives and tools supporting cross-border digital trade. Emphasized trust-building between sectors and WCO's data strategy for enhanced customs operations.
Suja Rishikesh Mavroidis (WTO Director, Market Access Division): Stressed the importance of streamlined customs procedures, particularly for SMEs, and the role of single windows and national trade facilitation committees in public-private cooperation.
Patricia Lungu (Deputy Commissioner, Zambia Revenue Authority): Shared experiences from Zambia's cross-border data exchange projects while noting challenges in data analysis infrastructure and governance.
Brenda Smith (Global Government Affairs Director, Expeditors International): Emphasized lessons from pandemic responses, the value of WCO tools like the SAFE Framework, and single windows in facilitating compliant trade.
Core Issues and Future Directions
The discussions centered on four transformative themes:
- E-commerce acceleration: Pandemic-driven digital trade growth demands optimized customs processes for parcel flows and security.
- Public-private partnerships: Collaborative approaches enhance information sharing, transparency, and cost reduction.
- Disruptive technology applications: Blockchain, AI, and big data are reshaping customs operations through improved transparency, risk assessment, and resource allocation.
- Data-driven decision making: Enhanced data utilization enables better trend analysis, risk identification, and operational efficiency.
Conclusion: Building a Resilient Trade Future
The WTO Public Forum and WCO-PSCG meeting collectively charted a course for global trade's future. By reinforcing multilateral systems, advancing sustainability, promoting inclusion, and addressing emerging challenges, these dialogues contribute to building a more resilient global trading system. Both organizations continue to play essential roles in facilitating international commerce while adapting to technological and geopolitical transformations.