WTO News

1. World Trade Report: Trade reform to boost growth; inaction can cost 10% global GDP

   The 2026 edition of the World Trade Report – issued on 15 September - finds that a strengthened multilateral trading system could increase global GDP by roughly 3% or USD 3 trillion by 2050, while inaction to modernize the trading system could reduce global output by up to 10%. The flagship publication of the WTO Secretariat, examining what the multilateral trading system has delivered over 80 years and where it is facing challenges, offers evidence relevant to ongoing efforts to keep trade rules fit for purpose.

2. Russian Federation notifies launch of safeguard investigation on certain flat steel products

   On 9 September 2026, the Russian Federation notified the WTO’s Committee on Safeguards regarding the initiation on 7 September 2026 of a safeguard investigation on certain flat steel products with polymer coating imported into the customs territory of the Eurasian Economic Union.

3. WTO study explores the role of stablecoins in international trade

   The WTO Secretariat launched a new publication on the role of stablecoins in supporting cross-border trade on 14 September on the sidelines of the WTO's first World Trade and Tech Day. The report, prepared by the Economic Research and Statistics Division and the Trade in Services and Investment Division, examines the opportunities and challenges associated with the use of stablecoins in facilitating international trade, highlighting how they can accelerate cross-border payments and their potential to increase participation in the international trading system, especially for developing economies.

4. World Trade & Tech Day: AI and trade increasingly intertwined

   Hundreds of participants gathered at the WTO for World Trade & Tech Day on 14 September, a sign of how AI is fundamentally changing the way cross-border commerce is evolving. Under the banner of "AI and Trade: Turning Potential into Progress", the day consisted of a full day of panel discussions and other knowledge-sharing opportunities aimed at fostering conversations on technology and trade. The event shone a spotlight on how AI and frontier technologies are making international trade more efficient, bringing together government leaders as well as academics and private sector representatives to discuss ways to harness AI's potential into tangible economic gains and an engine for inclusive growth.

5. Goods barometer points to resilient trade growth despite headwinds

   Global goods trade continued to strengthen in mid-2026 despite persistent geopolitical and policy-related uncertainties, according to the WTO Goods Trade Barometer released on 9 September 2026.