The Taiwan WTO and RTA Center

Taiwan joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) as the 144th Member on January 1, 2002. Given the fact that the WTO involves a wide range of complex issues and tasks, the Taiwan government started to initiate the establishment of a research institute that not only provides WTO research capacity but also undertakes WTO-related training, database and promotional activities. Under the leadership of Mr. Vincent Siew, former Chairman of Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research (CIER), the Taiwan WTO Center was established on September 8, 2003 as the only government-supported WTO research and advisory institution in Taiwan.

The tasks undertaken by the WTO Center fall into four main categories: policy research, legal advisory and consulting, international trade database, policy promotion activities and human resources development. The objectives of the Taiwan WTO Center are to strengthen the understanding and awareness of WTO/FTA-related issues, to develop trade negotiation skills, and to build up Taiwan’s capacity to participate in international trade affairs. In terms of research focuses, the key research areas for the WTO Center include multilateral trade regimes and negotiations under the auspices of the WTO, and issues related to the development of regional integration and bilateral trade agreements. Specific trade topics covered by the WTO Center’s research professionals include the following nine issues: agriculture, market access for non-agricultural products, service trade liberalization, trade rules, the relationship between international trade and the environment, the relationship between trade and development, dispute resolution, intellectual property rights, and trade facilitation. The WTO Center has also undertaken research on a number of trade-related issues that have not been addressed in the Doha Round negotiations, including rules of origin, animal and plant product sanitary inspection, state enterprises, the balance of payments, and technical barriers to trade, and so on. As regards its involvement in enhancing Taiwan’s capacity to participate in various international trade fora, the WTO Center has established a major international trade database. The Center also publishes a number of publications and a weekly e-newsletter. Several WTO- and FTA-related international conferences or workshops are also organized each year.

Taiwan WTO and RTA Center

Tel：(8862)2735-6006 ext.306

Fax：(8862)2377-269

Website: http://web.wtocenter.org.tw/EN/Default.aspx