International Organizations (Part – III)

Total Questions: 50

11. The main security guard of international trade is: [U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2017]

Correct Answer: (a) WTO
Solution:The World Trade Organization (WTO) is the main security guard of international trade. WTO is the largest intergovernmental economic organization in the world that is concerned with the regulation of international trade between nations. The WTO officially commenced on 1 January, 1995 under the Marrakesh Agreement (signed on 15 April 1994), replacing the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT).

12. WTO is: [U.P.P.C.S. (Spl.) (Pre) 2008]

Correct Answer: (d) An international trade organization establislied by the members GATT
Solution:The World Trade Organization (WTO) is the main security guard of international trade. WTO is the largest intergovernmental economic organization in the world that is concerned with the regulation of international trade between nations. The WTO officially commenced on 1 January, 1995 under the Marrakesh Agreement (signed on 15 April 1994), replacing the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT).

Key Objectives of WTO

  • To set and enforce rules for international trade to stimulate economic growth and employment.
  • To provide a forum for negotiating and monitoring further trade liberalisation by lowering trade barriers and applying principles of known discrimination.
  • To resolve trade disputes and contribute to the peace and stability of the world.
  • To increase the transparency of decision-making processes, thereby giving the weak a stronger voice.
  • To cooperate with other major international economic institutions involved in global economic management.
  • To help developing countries take full benefits from the global trading system, thereby cutting the cost of doing business.
  • To encourage good governance by reducing arbitrariness.

13. The earlier name of the WTO was: [I.A.S. (Pre) 2001]

Correct Answer: (b) GATT
Solution:The World Trade Organization (WTO) is the main security guard of international trade. WTO is the largest intergovernmental economic organization in the world that is concerned with the regulation of international trade between nations. The WTO officially commenced on 1 January, 1995 under the Marrakesh Agreement (signed on 15 April 1994), replacing the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT).

Key Objectives of WTO

  • To set and enforce rules for international trade to stimulate economic growth and employment.
  • To provide a forum for negotiating and monitoring further trade liberalisation by lowering trade barriers and applying principles of known discrimination.
  • To resolve trade disputes and contribute to the peace and stability of the world.
  • To increase the transparency of decision-making processes, thereby giving the weak a stronger voice.
  • To cooperate with other major international economic institutions involved in global economic management.
  • To help developing countries take full benefits from the global trading system, thereby cutting the cost of doing business.
  • To encourage good governance by reducing arbitrariness.

14. 64. The headquarters of W.T.O. is located at [Uttarakhand P.C.S. (Pre) 2005, U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2015, U.P.R.O./A.R.O. (Mains) 2014]

Correct Answer: (a) Geneva
Solution:The World Trade Organization (WTO) is the main security guard of international trade. WTO is the largest intergovernmental economic organization in the world that is concerned with the regulation of international trade between nations. The WTO officially commenced on 1 January, 1995 under the Marrakesh Agreement (signed on 15 April 1994), replacing the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT).

Key Objectives of WTO

  • To set and enforce rules for international trade to stimulate economic growth and employment.
  • To provide a forum for negotiating and monitoring further trade liberalisation by lowering trade barriers and applying principles of known discrimination.
  • To resolve trade disputes and contribute to the peace and stability of the world.
  • To increase the transparency of decision-making processes, thereby giving the weak a stronger voice.
  • To cooperate with other major international economic institutions involved in global economic management.
  • To help developing countries take full benefits from the global trading system, thereby cutting the cost of doing business.
  • To encourage good governance by reducing arbitrariness.

15. Consider the following statements: [I.A.S. (Pre) 2000]

The Ministerial Meeting of WTO held in December 1999 was unsuccessful because it attempted to link trade with:

1. labour related issues

2. environment related issues

3. terrorism related issues

4. debt related issues

Which of these statements are correct?

Correct Answer: (b) 1 and 2
Solution:The 3rd Ministerial Conference of W.T.O was held in Seattle, Washington, USA from 30th November to 3rd December, 1999. Two of the main economic powers at the conference, the European Union (EU) and the USA, both put forward proposals for the future development of 'labour standards' and 'environment related issues'. Developing countries opposed the introduction of linkages to labour or environmental standards to the WTO system.

Instead they wanted existing agreements and commitments to be implemented. On these issues and some other controversial areas such as agriculture, services, and intellectual property, delegates admitted failure to agree on the agenda and negotiations collapsed.

16. One of the important agreements reached in the 1996 Ministrial Conference of WTO refers to: [I.A.S. (Pre) 1997]

Correct Answer: (a) Commerce in Information Technology
Solution:The first WTO Ministerial Conference was held in Singapore between 9 to 13 December, 1996. The conference was the first since WTO entered into force on 1 January, 1995. In this conference the member states signed an agreement on the expansion of world trade in information technology products. Besides this, the conference established four permanent working groups on:

1. Trade and investment

2. Trade and competition

3. Transparency in government procurement

4. Trade facilitation.

These groups collectively are called the Singapore issues.

17. Doha, where Ministerial Conference of World Trade Organization was organized, is located in: [U.P. Lower Sub, (Pre) 2002]

Correct Answer: (c) Qatar
Solution:The 4th Ministerial Conference of World Trade Organization was held at Doha, Qatar in November, 2001. At this conference, ministers from all WTO members launched the Doha Development Agenda. While 12th Ministerial Conference of World Trade Organization was originally scheduled to take place from 8-11 June 2020, in Nur Sultan, Kazakhstan, but it was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

It was then held on 12-17 June, 2022 in Geneva, Switzerland. The 13th WTO Ministerial Conference took place from 26 February to 2 March, 2024 in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

18. As regards the use of international food safety standards as reference point for the dispute settlements, which one of the following does WTO collaborates with? [I.A.S. (Pre) 2010]

Correct Answer: (a) Codex Alimentarius Commission
Solution:As regards the use of international food safety standards as reference point for the dispute settlement, the WTO collabo- rates with Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC). The CAC was created in 1963 by FAO and WHO to develop food stan- dards, guidelines and related texts such as codes of practice under the joint FAO/WHO Food Standard Programme.

The main purposes of this programme are protecting health of the consumers and ensuring fair trade practices in the food trade and promoting coordination of all food standards work undertaken by international governmental and non-govern- mental organizations.

19. Which of the following were the aims behind the setting up of the World Trade Organization (WTO)? [I.A.S. (Pre) 1996]

1. Promotion of free trade and resource flows across countries

2. Protection of intellectual property rights

3. Managing balanced trade between different countries

4. Promotion of trade between the former East Bloc countries and the western world

Select the correct answer by using the codes given below:

Correct Answer: (a) 1, 2, 3, and 4
Solution:The World Trade Organisation (WTO) is the principal forum for setting the rules of international trade. It regulates and facilitates international trade between nations. It officially commenced operations on 1 January, 1995.

The WTO facilitates trade in goods, services and intellectual property among participating countries by providing a framework for negotiating trade agreements, which usually aim to reduce or eliminate tariffs, quotas, and other restrictions. All of the given objectives were the aims behind setting up of the WTO.

20. The World Trade Organization was established in: [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 1996, Uttarakhand P.C.S. (Pre) 2002]

Correct Answer: (c) 1995
Solution:The World Trade Organisation (WTO) is the principal forum for setting the rules of international trade. It regulates and facilitates international trade between nations. It officially commenced operations on 1 January, 1995.

The WTO facilitates trade in goods, services and intellectual property among participating countries by providing a framework for negotiating trade agreements, which usually aim to reduce or eliminate tariffs, quotas, and other restrictions. All of the given objectives were the aims behind setting up of the WTO.