Review of national trade policies
The Trade Policy Review Mechanism (TPRM) contributes to improved adherence to rules, disciplines and commitments made under the WTO agreements, and hence to the smoother functioning of the multilateral trading system by achieving greater transparency in, and understanding of, the trade policies and practices of members. WTO members assess and evaluate, through peer review, the full range of a WTO member's trade regime and its impact on the multilateral trading system.
The review mechanism is not designed to enforce specific obligations under the agreements; this is the task of the dispute settlement mechanism.
Switzerland's active participation in the TPRs of other countries is justified by a:
- systemic interest: to create transparency about foreign trade measures;wirtschaftspolitisches Interesse: die Entwicklung des Handelsregime von wichtigen Handelspartnern verfolgen;
- policy interest: to monitor the development of the trade measures of key trading partners;
- bilateral interest: the procedure makes it possible to ask specific questions in the event of WTO-relevant problems between Switzerland and the country under review and to maintain relations with the country in question.
