Lithuania is contributing EUR 30,000 (approximately CHF 28,000) in 2026 to finance training programmes for government officials from developing economies, including least-developed countries (LDCs). This contribution to the WTO Global Trust Fund will support these economies in deepening their expertise on WTO issues and help them participate more effectively in the rules-based multilateral trading system.

On 28 July, the WTO circulated the panel report in the case brought by China in "Türkiye — Measures Concerning Electric Vehicles and Other Types of Vehicles from China" (DS629).

At a meeting of the Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) on 24 July, members considered a request from the Russian Federation for the establishment of a dispute panel to review the European Union's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) Package and alleged export subsidy under the EU scheme for trading greenhouse gas emission allowances. The DSB Chair, Ambassador Guilherme de Aguiar Patriota (Brazil), also updated members on dispute settlement reform consultations and convened an informal discussion after the meeting to further hear members' views.

A new Trade Policy Activity (TPA) index by WTO and IMF economists shows a marked rise in trade policy activity during 2025-26, alongside heightened trade policy tensions among large economies, against the backdrop of an overall upward trend.

In my previous two posts on the value of the WTO, I argued that when governments set trade policies independently, they focus on domestic effects but often overlook the costs imposed on trading partners. International trade agreements help governments take account of these cross-border spillovers (terms-of-trade externalities) by encouraging reciprocal negotiations over trade policy. While these negotiations will reduce trade protection, they will not necessarily lead to free trade. But if governments do not generally commit themselves to free trade, why has freedom of transit for goods been seen differently?

At a meeting of the Council for Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) on 22-23 July, members discussed notifications of intellectual property legislation, pandemic preparedness, technology transfer, the relationship between the TRIPS Agreement and the Convention on Biological Diversity , and cooperation among IP offices. The meeting, chaired by Ambassador Alaa Hegazy (Egypt), also featured updates on technical cooperation and on a side event on genetic resources held the previous day. Members exchanged views and shared practical experiences from a recent workshop on technology transfer and cooperation initiatives.