Annual session of the Parliamentary Conference on the WTO

The Parliamentary Conference on the World Trade Organization (WTO) is a joint undertaking of the Inter-Parliamentary Union and the European Parliament. The principal objective of the Conference is to enhance external transparency of the WTO and hold it accountable to legislators as elected representatives of the people. Sessions of the Parliamentary Conference are held annually and in connection with WTO Ministerial Conferences (MC). The smooth running of this process is ensured by the Conference Steering Committee.

The 2018 Annual Session of the Parliamentary Conference on the WTO will take place on 6 and 7 December, in Room CRI on the premises of the WTO, Centre William Rappard in Geneva.

In conformity with the Conference Rules of Procedure, the annual session is intended primarily for parliamentarians who specialize in matters of international trade in their respective parliaments. The Conference will provide them with an opportunity to obtain first-hand information on recent developments in the Doha Round negotiations and consider ways of contributing to the revitalization of this process. It will also be an occasion to follow up on the Buenos Aires session of the Parliamentary Conference held during the 11^th WTO Ministerial Conference. Finally, the 2018 Annual Session of the Parliamentary Conference on the WTO will allow the parliamentarians to exchange views and experiences with colleagues in other parliaments, interact with government negotiators and WTO officials and engage in a dialogue with civil society representatives.