WTO: The abbreviation for World Trade Organization, which is an international organization that oversees multilateral trade among nations. The WTO was established in 1995 by the Uruguay round of trade negotiations to replace the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) that had been in place for the preceding five decades. The WTO administers multilateral trade agreements, provides a forum for trade negotiations, handles trade disputes, monitors national trade policies, and provides technical assistance and training for developing countries. The WTO has about 150 member countries. See also | foreign trade | General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade | multilateral | tariff | trade barriers | International Monetary Fund | World Bank | North American Free Trade Agreement | trading bloc | unilateral | Uruguay round |
