WTO World Trade Report 2006

The annual World Trade Report is the WTO's primary publication on global trade. Each one takes on a new topic - this year the WTO tackles subsidies. It aims to provide an overview of the use of subsidies in different regions of the world and according to different economic activities. The report starts with a discussion of the definition of subsidies and an examination of the most important economic concepts related to subsidies. It then considers the main ways in which governments justify the use of subsidies and the trade and economic implications of such policies. The report will also examine the WTO rules on subsidies, their evolution over time, their content from an economic perspective, and how WTO disputes have helped to shape national policies in this area. The WTO expects to release the report during the second half of July.