WTO advocates hope joint statements at MC11 could trigger negotiating progress

While the World Trade Organization's 11th ministerial ended without any substantive negotiated outcomes -- not an unprecedented occurrence for such events -- some advocates of the global trading system are holding out hope that the series of joint statements that members signed in Buenos Aires could effectively reinvigorate the WTO's negotiating arm. The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative called MC11 a “successful” ministerial at the same time it declared the new direction of the WTO was a focus on...