The original members of the World Trade Organization are the parties to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) after ratifying the Uruguay Round Agreements, and the European Communities. They obtained this status at the entry into force on 1 January 1995 or upon their date of ratification. All other members have joined the organization as a result of negotiation, and membership consists of a balance of rights and obligations. The process of becoming a World Trade Organization (WTO) member is unique to each applicant country, and the terms of accession are dependent upon the country's stage of economic development and the current trade regime.
An offer of accession is given once consensus is reached among members. The process takes about five years, on average, but it can take some countries almost a decade if the country is less than fully committed to the process, or if political issues interfere. The shortest accession negotiation was that of Kyrgyzstan, lasting 2 years and 10 months. The longest were that of Russia, lasting 19 years and 2 months, Vanuatu, lasting 17 years and 1 month, Comoros, lasting 16 years and 10 months, and China, lasting 15 years and 5 months.
As of 2007, WTO members represented 96.4% of global trade and 96.7% of global GDP. Iran, followed by Algeria, are the economies with the largest GDP and trade outside the WTO, using 2005 data.
Accession process
A country wishing to accede to the WTO submits an application to the General Council. The government applying for membership has to describe all aspects of its trade and economic policies that have a bearing on WTO agreements. The application is submitted to the WTO in a memorandum which is examined by a working party open to all interested WTO Members, and dealing with the country's application. For large countries such as Russia, numerous countries participate in this process. For smaller countries, the Quadrilateral group of members—consisting of Canada, the European Union, Japan, and the United States—and an applicant's neighboring countries are typically most involved. The applicant then presents a detailed memorandum to the Working Party on its foreign trade regime, describing, among other things, its economy, economic policies, domestic and international trade regulations, and intellectual property policies. The Working Party Members submit written questions to the applicant to clarify aspects of its foreign trade regime with particular attention being paid to the degree of privatization in the economy and the extent to which government regulation is transparent. After all necessary background information has been acquired, the Working Party will begin meeting to focus on issues of discrepancy between the WTO rules and the Applicant's international and domestic trade policies and laws. The WP determines the terms and conditions of entry into the WTO for the applicant nation, and may consider transitional periods to allow countries some leeway in complying with the WTO rules.
The final phase of accession involves bilateral negotiations between the applicant nation and other Working Party members regarding the concessions and commitments on tariff levels and market access for goods and services. These talks cover tariff rates and specific market access commitments, and other policies in goods and services. The new member's commitments are to apply equally to all WTO members under normal non-discrimination rules, even though they are negotiated bilaterally. In other words, the talks determine the benefits (in the form of export opportunities and guarantees) other WTO members can expect when the new member joins. The talks can be highly complicated; it has been said that in some cases the negotiations are almost as large as an entire round of multilateral trade negotiations.
When the bilateral talks conclude, the working party finalizes the terms of accession, sends an accession package, which includes a summary of all the WP meetings, the Protocol of Accession (a draft membership treaty), and lists ("schedules") of the member-to-be's commitments to the General Council or Ministerial Conference. Once the General Council or Ministerial Conference approves of the terms of accession, the applicant's parliament must ratify the Protocol of Accession before it can become a member. The documents used in the accession process which are embargoed during the accession process are released once the nation becomes a member.
Members and observers
As of August 2024, the WTO has 166 members. Of the 128 states party to GATT at the end of 1994, all have since become WTO members except for the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, which had dissolved in 1992 and was suspended from participating in GATT at the time. Four other states, China, Lebanon, Liberia, and Syria, were parties to GATT but subsequently withdrew from the treaty prior to the establishment of the WTO. China and Liberia have since acceded to the WTO. The remaining WTO members acceded after first becoming WTO observers and negotiating membership.
The 27 states of the European Union are dually represented, as the EU is a full member of the organization. Other autonomous entities are eligible for full membership in the WTO provided that they have a separate customs territory with full autonomy in the conduct of their external commercial relations. Thus, Hong Kong became a GATT contracting party, by the now terminated "sponsorship" procedure of the United Kingdom (Hong Kong uses the name "Hong Kong, China" since 1997), as did Macao. A new member of this type is the Republic of China (Taiwan), which acceded to the WTO in 2002, and carefully crafted its application by joining under the name "Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu (Chinese Taipei)" so that they were not rejected as a result of the One China principle implemented by the People's Republic of China.
The WTO also has 23 observer states, that with the exception of the Holy See must start their accession negotiations within five years of becoming observers. The last country admitted as observer-only before applying for full membership was Equatorial Guinea in 2002, but since 2007 it is also in full membership negotiations. In 2007 Liberia and Comoros applied directly for full membership. Some international intergovernmental organizations are also granted observer status to WTO bodies. The Palestinian Authority submitted a request for WTO observer status in October 2009 and again in April 2010.
Timor-Leste is the newest member, joining effective 30 August 2024.
Russia was one of the only two large economies outside of the WTO after Saudi Arabia joined in 2005. It had begun negotiating to join the WTO's predecessor in 1993. The final major point of contention—related to the 2006 Russian ban of Moldovan and Georgian wines and the 2008 Russo-Georgian War—was solved through mediation by Switzerland, leading to Russian membership in 2012. The other is Iran, which is an observer state and began negotiations in 1996.
A membership offer requires a two-thirds majority vote among existing members, while the granting of observer status requires a simple majority. Observers have speaking rights after members have spoken, but not the right to submit proposals or voting rights.
List of members and accession dates
The following table lists all current members, their accession date and previous GATT membership, of which there were 128 nations when the transformation was consummated.
| State | Date of accession | GATT membership |
|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | 29 July 2016 | |
| Albania | 8 September 2000 | |
| Angola | 23 November 1996 | 8 April 1994 |
| Antigua and Barbuda | 1 January 1995 | 30 March 1987 |
| Argentina | 1 January 1995 | 11 October 1967 |
| Armenia | 5 February 2003 | |
| Australia | 1 January 1995 | 1 January 1948 |
| Austria | 1 January 1995 | 19 October 1951 |
| Bahrain | 1 January 1995 | 13 December 1993 |
| Bangladesh | 1 January 1995 | 16 December 1972 |
| Barbados | 1 January 1995 | 15 February 1967 |
| Belgium | 1 January 1995 | 1 January 1948 |
| Belize | 1 January 1995 | 7 October 1983 |
| Benin | 22 February 1996 | 12 September 1963 |
| Bolivia | 12 September 1995 | 8 September 1990 |
| Botswana | 31 May 1995 | 28 August 1987 |
| Brazil | 1 January 1995 | 30 July 1948 |
| Brunei | 1 January 1995 | 9 December 1993 |
| Bulgaria | 1 December 1996 | |
| Burkina Faso | 3 June 1995 | 3 May 1963 |
| Burundi | 23 July 1995 | 13 March 1965 |
| Cambodia | 13 October 2004 | |
| Cameroon | 13 December 1995 | 3 May 1963 |
| Canada | 1 January 1995 | 1 January 1948 |
| Cape Verde | 23 July 2008 | |
| Central African Republic | 31 May 1995 | 3 May 1963 |
| Chad | 19 October 1996 | 12 July 1963 |
| Chile | 1 January 1995 | 16 March 1949 |
| China | 11 December 2001 | |
| Colombia | 30 April 1995 | 3 October 1981 |
| Comoros | 21 August 2024 | |
| Congo, Democratic Republic of the | 1 January 1997 | 11 September 1971 |
| Congo, Republic of the | 27 March 1997 | 3 May 1963 |
| Costa Rica | 1 January 1995 | 24 November 1990 |
| Côte d'Ivoire | 1 January 1995 | 31 December 1963 |
| Croatia | 30 November 2000 | |
| Cuba | 20 April 1995 | 1 January 1948 |
| Cyprus | 30 July 1995 | 15 July 1963 |
| Czech Republic | 1 January 1995 | 15 April 1993 |
| Denmark | 1 January 1995 | 28 May 1950 |
| Djibouti | 31 May 1995 | 16 December 1994 |
| Dominica | 1 January 1995 | 20 April 1993 |
| Dominican Republic | 9 March 1995 | 19 May 1950 |
| East Timor | 30 August 2024 | |
| Ecuador | 21 January 1996 | |
| Egypt | 30 June 1995 | 9 May 1970 |
| El Salvador | 7 May 1995 | 22 May 1991 |
| Estonia | 13 November 1999 | |
| Eswatini | 1 January 1995 | 8 February 1993 |
| European Union | 1 January 1995 | |
| Fiji | 14 January 1996 | 16 November 1993 |
| Finland | 1 January 1995 | 25 May 1950 |
| France | 1 January 1995 | 1 January 1948 |
| Gabon | 1 January 1995 | 3 May 1963 |
| Gambia | 23 October 1996 | 22 February 1965 |
| Georgia | 14 June 2000 | |
| Germany | 1 January 1995 | 1 October 1951 |
| Ghana | 1 January 1995 | 17 October 1957 |
| Greece | 1 January 1995 | 1 March 1950 |
| Grenada | 22 February 1996 | 9 February 1994 |
| Guatemala | 21 July 1995 | 10 October 1991 |
| Guinea | 25 October 1995 | 8 December 1994 |
| Guinea-Bissau | 31 May 1995 | 17 March 1994 |
| Guyana | 1 January 1995 | 5 July 1966 |
| Haiti | 30 January 1996 | 1 January 1950 |
| Honduras | 1 January 1995 | 10 April 1994 |
| Hong Kong, China | 1 January 1995 | 23 April 1986 |
| Hungary | 1 January 1995 | 9 September 1973 |
| Iceland | 1 January 1995 | 21 April 1968 |
| India | 1 January 1995 | 8 July 1948 |
| Indonesia | 1 January 1995 | 24 February 1950 |
| Ireland | 1 January 1995 | 22 December 1967 |
| Israel | 21 April 1995 | 5 July 1962 |
| Italy | 1 January 1995 | 30 May 1950 |
| Jamaica | 9 March 1995 | 31 December 1963 |
| Japan | 1 January 1995 | 10 September 1955 |
| Jordan | 11 April 2000 | |
| Kazakhstan | 30 November 2015 | |
| Kenya | 1 January 1995 | 5 February 1964 |
| Korea, Republic of | 1 January 1995 | 14 April 1967 |
| Kuwait | 1 January 1995 | 3 May 1963 |
| Kyrgyzstan | 20 December 1998 | |
| Laos | 2 February 2013 | |
| Latvia | 10 February 1999 | |
| Lesotho | 31 May 1995 | 8 January 1988 |
| Liberia | 14 July 2016 | |
| Liechtenstein | 1 September 1995 | 29 March 1994 |
| Lithuania | 31 May 2001 | |
| Luxembourg | 1 January 1995 | 1 January 1948 |
| Madagascar | 17 November 1995 | 30 September 1963 |
| Malawi | 31 May 1995 | 28 August 1964 |
| Malaysia | 1 January 1995 | 24 October 1957 |
| Maldives | 31 May 1995 | 19 April 1983 |
| Mali | 31 May 1995 | 11 January 1993 |
| Malta | 1 January 1995 | 17 November 1964 |
| Macao, China | 1 January 1995 | 11 January 1991 |
| Mauritania | 31 May 1995 | 30 September 1963 |
| Mauritius | 1 January 1995 | 2 September 1970 |
| Mexico | 1 January 1995 | 24 August 1986 |
| Moldova | 26 July 2001 | |
| Mongolia | 29 January 1997 | |
| Montenegro | 29 April 2012 | |
| Morocco | 1 January 1995 | 17 June 1987 |
| Mozambique | 26 August 1995 | 27 July 1992 |
| Myanmar | 1 January 1995 | 29 July 1948 |
| Namibia | 1 January 1995 | 15 September 1992 |
| Nepal | 23 April 2004 | |
| Netherlands | 1 January 1995 | 1 January 1948 |
| New Zealand | 1 January 1995 | 30 July 1948 |
| Nicaragua | 3 September 1995 | 28 May 1950 |
| Niger | 13 December 1996 | 31 December 1963 |
| Nigeria | 1 January 1995 | 18 November 1960 |
| North Macedonia | 4 April 2003 | |
| Norway | 1 January 1995 | 10 July 1948 |
| Oman | 9 November 2000 | |
| Pakistan | 1 January 1995 | 30 July 1948 |
| Panama | 6 September 1997 | |
| Papua New Guinea | 9 June 1996 | 16 December 1994 |
| Paraguay | 1 January 1995 | 6 January 1994 |
| Peru | 1 January 1995 | 7 October 1951 |
| Philippines | 1 January 1995 | 27 December 1979 |
| Poland | 1 July 1995 | 18 October 1967 |
| Portugal | 1 January 1995 | 6 May 1962 |
| Qatar | 13 January 1996 | 7 April 1994 |
| Romania | 1 January 1995 | 14 November 1971 |
| Russia | 22 August 2012 | |
| Rwanda | 22 May 1996 | 1 January 1966 |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | 21 February 1996 | 24 March 1994 |
| Saint Lucia | 1 January 1995 | 13 April 1993 |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 1 January 1995 | 18 May 1993 |
| Samoa | 10 May 2012 | |
| Saudi Arabia | 11 December 2005 | |
| Senegal | 1 January 1995 | 27 September 1963 |
| Seychelles | 26 April 2015 | |
| Sierra Leone | 23 July 1995 | 19 May 1961 |
| Singapore | 1 January 1995 | 20 August 1973 |
| Slovakia | 1 January 1995 | 15 April 1993 |
| Slovenia | 30 July 1995 | 30 October 1994 |
| Solomon Islands | 26 July 1996 | 28 December 1994 |
| South Africa | 1 January 1995 | 13 June 1948 |
| Spain | 1 January 1995 | 29 August 1963 |
| Sri Lanka | 1 January 1995 | 29 July 1948 |
| Suriname | 1 January 1995 | 22 March 1978 |
| Sweden | 1 January 1995 | 30 April 1950 |
| Switzerland | 1 July 1995 | 1 August 1966 |
| Taiwan | 1 January 2002 | |
| Tajikistan | 2 March 2013 | |
| Tanzania | 1 January 1995 | 9 December 1961 |
| Thailand | 1 January 1995 | 20 November 1982 |
| Togo | 31 May 1995 | 20 March 1964 |
| Tonga | 27 July 2007 | |
| Trinidad and Tobago | 1 March 1995 | 23 October 1962 |
| Tunisia | 29 March 1995 | 29 August 1990 |
| Turkey | 26 March 1995 | 17 October 1951 |
| Uganda | 1 January 1995 | 23 October 1962 |
| Ukraine | 16 May 2008 | |
| United Arab Emirates | 10 April 1996 | 8 March 1994 |
| United Kingdom | 1 January 1995 | 1 January 1948 |
| United States | 1 January 1995 | 1 January 1948 |
| Uruguay | 1 January 1995 | 6 December 1953 |
| Vanuatu | 24 August 2012 | |
| Venezuela | 1 January 1995 | 31 August 1990 |
| Vietnam | 11 January 2007 | |
| Yemen | 26 June 2014 | |
| Zambia | 1 January 1995 | 10 February 1982 |
| Zimbabwe | 5 March 1995 | 11 July 1948 |
- Notes
- The WTO continues to recognize the government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.
- Member state of the European Union.
- Member state of the European Union since 2007.
- Member state of the European Union since 2013.
- Member state of the European Union since 2004.
- Known as Swaziland until 2018.
- All member countries of the European Union are also members of the WTO individually.
- Official name was Hong Kong until 1997.
- Official name was Macao until 1999.
- Known as the Republic of Macedonia until 2019.
- Officially uses the designation "Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu".
- Former Member state of the European Union until withdrawing in 2020. Extended its membership to the Channel Islands on 1 January 2021.
List of observers
The following table lists all 23 WTO observers. Within five years of being granted observer status by the WTO, states are required to begin negotiating their accession to the organization.
| State | Date of membership application | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Algeria | 3 June 1987 | Inactive since 2014 |
| Andorra | 4 July 1997 | Inactive since 1999 |
| Azerbaijan | 30 June 1997 | Work in progress |
| Bahamas | 10 May 2001 | Inactive since 2019 |
| Belarus | 23 September 1993 | Inactive since 2019 |
| Bhutan | 1 September 1999 | Reactivation |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 11 May 1999 | Strategic focus |
| Curaçao | 31 October 2019 | Activation |
| Equatorial Guinea | 19 February 2007 | Activation |
| Ethiopia | 13 January 2003 | Reactivation |
| Holy See | None | Observer since 1997 |
| Iran | 19 July 1996 | Inactive since 2011 |
| Iraq | 30 September 2004 | Work in progress |
| Lebanon | 30 January 1999 | Inactive since 2017 |
| Libya | 10 June 2004 | Inactive since 2004 |
| São Tomé and Príncipe | 14 January 2005 | Inactive since 2005 |
| Serbia | 23 December 2004 | Inactive since 2013 |
| Somalia | 12 December 2015 | Activation |
| South Sudan | 5 December 2017 | Inactive since 2019 |
| Sudan | 11 October 1994 | Inactive since 2021 |
| Syria | 10 October 2001 | Inactive since 2010 |
| Turkmenistan | 24 November 2021 | Activation |
| Uzbekistan | 8 December 1994 | Strategic focus |
- Notes
- The Holy See is exempted from having to negotiate full WTO membership.
- Was a party to GATT prior to withdrawing.
- Observer status granted 22 July 2020
Neither members nor observers
Applicants
- Since 2005, UN General Assembly observer state Palestine has been granted speaking rights at each Ministerial Conference of the WTO, under the name Palestinian Authority until 2009 and under the name Palestine from 2011 onward. Palestine is not listed as an "observer government" like other observer states, and is instead listed under "other observers" in the same category as non-state observers such as the International Trade Centre and World Bank. Palestine applied for observer state status on 2 October 2009 and 12 April 2010. As of 2 December 2016,[update] Palestine had expressed an interest in joining the WTO as a full member.
- On 17 November 2019, the African Union applied for observer status.
Other states
The following UN member states are neither members nor observers of the WTO:
- Eritrea
- Kiribati
- Marshall Islands
- Micronesia
- Monaco
- Nauru
- North Korea
- Palau
- San Marino
- Tuvalu
Additionally, as of 16 November 2015[update] Kosovo had expressed an interest in joining the WTO as a member.
See also
- List of customs territories
Bibliography and Web
- "Accessions Gateway". World Trade Organization. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
- "Accessions News Archive". World Trade Organization. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
- Aslund, Anders (21 December 2007). "Russia's WTO Accession". Speeches, Testimony, Papers. Peter G. Peterson Institute for International Politics. Retrieved 16 March 2007.
- "Factsheet on U.S. – Russia WTO Bilateral Market Access Agreement". Office of the United States Trade Representative. 10 November 2007. Archived from the original on 27 April 2007. Retrieved 16 March 2007.
- Farah, Paolo (August 2006). "Five Years of China WTO Membership. EU and US Perspectives about China's Compliance with Transparency Commitments and the Transitional Review Mechanism". Legal Issues of Economic Integration. 33 (3). doi:10.54648/LEIE2006016. S2CID 153128973. SSRN 916768.
- "How to Become a Member of the WTO". Accession: Explanation. World Trade Organization. Retrieved 16 March 2007.
- "International Intergovernmental Organizations Granted Observer Status to WTO bodies". World Trade Organization. Retrieved 16 March 2007.
- Jackson, John H. (2006). "The World Trade Organization: Structure of the Treaty and the Institution". Sovereignty, the WTO and Changing Fundamentals of International Law. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-86007-9.
- "Members and Observers". Understanding the WTO. World Trade Organization. Retrieved 16 March 2007.
- "Membership, Alliances and Bureaucracy". Understanding the WTO. World Trade Organization. Retrieved 16 March 2007.
- Michalopoulos, Constantine (2002). "WTO Accession". In Bernard M. Hoekman; Aaditya Mattoo; Philip English (eds.). Development, Trade, and the WTO: A Handbook. World Bank Publications. ISBN 978-0-8213-4997-7.
- Charnovitz, Steve (19 January 2007). "Mapping the Law of WTO Accession (by Steve Charnovitz)". SRRN. SSRN 957651.
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