Established: By the Marrakesh Agreement signed in Marrakesh, Morocco, on April 15, 1994, effective January 1, 1995.

Purpose: To administer the agreements contained in the Final Act of the Uruguay Round of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT); to provide conciliation mechanisms to resolve trade conflicts between members and, if necessary, adjudicate disputes; to provide a forum for ongoing negotiations in pursuit of further lowering and/or elimination of tariffs and other trade barriers.

Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.

Principal Organs: Ministerial Conference (all members), General Council (all members), Trade Policy Review Body, Dispute Settlement Body, Appellate Body, Council on Trade in Goods, Council on Trade in Services, Council on the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights, Secretariat.

Web site: www.wto.org

Director General: Pascal Lamy (France).

Membership (153): Albania, Angola, ...

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