WTO : Members consider budget hike, amid objections from Indonesia, Russia (PRIV)
(D. Ravi Kanth, Geneva)
Members of the World Trade Organization o n 22 November apparently agreed to increase the WTO's budget for 2024, even a s negotiations are underway on a compromise proposal floated by the European Union that seeks a 3.6 percent rise in the trade body's regular budget, sai d people familiar with the development.

Trade : What does success look like for MC13? (PRIV)
(Jane Kelsey, Auckland)
The host of every WTO Ministerial Conference has a difficult task. Almost half the ministerials s ince 1995 have not produced a substantive declaration and Members have often bee n unable to deliver on the outcomes where one was agreed.

Trade : Intermediate goods exports continue their slump in Q2 2023, says WTO (PRIV)
(Kanaga Raja, Penang)
The world exports of intermediate goods (IG s) decreased by 8 per cent year-on- year in the second quarter (Q2) of 2023 to US$2.3 trillion, at a time of stagnant commodity prices and a marked contra ction in global consumer demand due to high inflation and interest rates, the Wor ld Trade Organization has said.

WHO : INB Bureau refuses to incorporate proposals in negotiating text (PRIV)
(TWN, Geneva)
The Bureau of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) for the preparation of the pandemic instrument has refused to incorporate the textual suggestions from Member States as part of the negot iating text, and asserts that the alterations would be done only if there is suppo rt across the board.