Supporting world commerce

摘要

The World Trade Organisation (WTO) has struggled for 12 years, since the launch of its Doha Development Round in 2001, to secure a global agreement promoting world commerce. And while many of the issues debated under the Doha process remain out of reach - most notably an agreement on reducing food production subsidies and tariffs - it has now struck a deal on cutting trade red tape. This agreement on trade facilitation is designed to ease import and customs procedures that can hold up the delivery of confectionery and sweet bakery to export customers, sometimes causing deliveries to spoil. It was agreed by a WTO ministerial conference in Bali, Indonesia, which ended on Friday 6 December 2013.