WTO Bodies

Working bodies

The Agreement Establishing the WTO defines, among other things, the organizational structure of the WTO.

The General Council manages the work of the Organization and makes decisions important for its functioning within the guidelines set by the Ministerial Conference. It meets regularly, usually once in two months. General Council is in charge for the functioning of the WTO in the periods between the two Ministerial conference meetings, acting on its behalf and answering for its work.

The General Council also meets as the Trade Policy Review Body and Dispute Settlement Body.

Under the auspices of the General Council, there are Council for Trade in Goods, the Council for Trade Services and the Council for Trade Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (Council for TRIPS). These three councils carry out tasks within the competencies specified in the relevant agreements, as well as the tasks determined by the General Council.

In accordance with the provisions of the WTO Agreement, a significant place in the WTO organizational structure is taken by the Committee on Trade and Development, the 

Committee on Balance-of-Payments Restrictions and the Committee on Budget, Finance and Administration. 

As response to the trade development, and in relation to the aforementioned, the General Council has established other committees and working groups, and their number is changing. Each council, committee or working group elects its chairman. In line with mentioned, unofficial consultations are held with the aim to achieve a consensus on the appointment of chairpersons. After consultation, the working bodies formally confirm the appointment by choosing the chairman by consensus. Almost all mandates last one year. The exceptions are: Trade Negotiations Committee, which is ex officio chaired by the Director General of the WTO, as well as the chairpersons of the negotiating groups of the Trade Negotiations Committee, whose mandates are defined differently, for the time being, from one Ministerial Conference meeting to the next. Another exception is the Preparatory Committee for Trade Facilitation. Here you can download the list of chairpersons. 

The WTO Secretariat is an administrative body and is not competent to make decisions. The activities of the Secretariat are also aimed to facilitate the implementation and implementation of the WTO Agreements, to provide forums for multilateral trade negotiations and to implement the results of negotiations. The Ministerial Conference appoints the Director General and adopts the rules defining the powers, duties, terms of service and the mandate of the Director General.