International Trade Law Research Guide

This guide features resources on international trade law.

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Texts and Status of WTO Agreements

Electronic Sources
Print Sources
Status of the Agreements
 

Electronic Sources

  • WTO Legal Texts
    The WTO website provides free online access to all of the agreements, ministerial decisions, and ministerial declarations reached at the conclusion of the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations in 1994.  It also provides access to post-1994 WTO agreements and protocols.  Summaries and explanatory notes are provided for select agreements.  All agreements may be viewed in a Web browser or downloaded in MS Word or PDF format.
     
  • Office of Trade Agreements Negotiations & Compliance (TANC) U.S. Department of Commerce.
    This U.S. government agency website provides free online access to the full texts of most of the Uruguay Round agreements.  For many agreements, an explanatory guide also is provided.  Note that most content may be viewed in a Web browser but is not available for download.
     
  • TradeLawGuide
    Full texts of the Uruguay Round agreements (and dozens of other WTO instruments) are available for download in PDF format.  When displayed in a Web browser, the texts include annotations to TLG's Article Citator and Jurisprudence Citator, plus cross references to incorporated instruments, procedural documents, negotiating histories, and precursor texts.  To access this content, click on "Agreements, Annotations & Citations" in the blue menu bar near the top of the TLG homepage.
     
  • WorldTradeLaw.net
    Full texts of the Uruguay Round agreements, as well as ministerial decisions and declarations adopted by the Trade Negotiations Committee, are available for download in PDF format.  To access this content, hover your cursor over "WTO Cases & Legal Texts" in the green menu bar at the top of the WTL homepage.  To view all available Uruguay Round agreements, click ont the "UR Agreements" link.


Print Sources

  • The WTO Agreements:  The Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization and Its Annexes.  KZ 5185 .L45 2017 This official publication of the WTO Secretariat incorporates all amendments and additions to the Marrakesh Agreement and its annexes that have been made since its entry into force through September of 2017.
     
  • The WTO Dispute Settlement Procedures:  A Collection of the Relevant Legal Texts, REF K4610.5 .A42 2012  This volume includes the full text of the WTO's Dispute Settlement Understanding, related procedural rules and rules of conduct, timetables for appeals, working procedures, and practices.
     
  • The Results of the Uruguay Round of Multilateral Trade Negotiations:  The Legal Texts.  KZ5185 1987 .A4 G44 1994  This official publication of the GATT Secretariat includes the original texts of the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization and all of the multilateral and plurilateral agreements annexed thereto.
     
  • Text of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.  KZ5185 1986
    This full text of the 1947 GATT incorporates all amendments made to the original agreement since its entry into force through 1986 (the year of publication).  Note that almost all of the provisions of the 1947 GATT are incorporated by reference in the 1994 GATT, which is part of the Uruguay Round agreements.
     


Status of the Agreements

  • Status of WTO Legal Instruments. (2021 edition)
    The most recent (2021) edition of this official WTO publication is available for download from the WTO website in PDF format.  Use it to determine when a WTO legal agreement entered into force, which countries are state parties to the agreement, and whether a particular state party ratified an agreement subject to any declarations or reservations.  Content is organized as follows:
    • The name of the agreement and information about its entry into force and registration with the U.N. (if applicable).
    • The texts of any final clauses that govern acceptance (ratification) and accession.
    • A list of state parties that ratified the agreement prior to its entry into force.  Any communications, declarations or reservations made by a state party upon its acceptance are noted below the name of the state party.
    • A list of state parties that acceded to the agreement after its entry into force, followed by the protocols of accession for each such state party.
    • Information is current as of April 15, 2021.
       
  • Status of WTO Legal Instruments.  (2015 edition)
    This 2015 edition of the official WTO publication described above is still available for download from the WTO website in PDF format.  The content is current as of April 20, 2015, and does not reflect any new developments since that date.
     
  • Status of WTO Legal Agreements. (2008 edition) K4610.A2 W76 2009
    This 2008 edition of the official WTO publication described above is available in print for historical research.  Its content is current as of April 30, 2008, and does not reflect any new developments after that date.