This report takes stock of the evolution of global value chains (GVCs) in light of technological developments, such as robotics, big data and the Internet of Things. It discusses how these technologies are reshaping GVCs and examines the effect of these changes on labor markets in developed and...

This report, prepared by FAO and the OECD with inputs from ERIA, IFPRI, IFAD, and WTO, has been submitted to the G20 Presidency of Japan in response to the Presidency’s request for background notes on Sustainable, Productive and Resilient Agro-Food Systems: value chains, human capital, and the...

Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic there has been a discussion among researchers and policy makers about changes to global value chains, both about expected changes and changes that should be promoted by government policies. In this paper we conduct an in-depth analysis of the reasons...

Using industry-level R&D and patent data for a sample of 29 countries for the period 2000-2008, we study the importance of international supply linkages for knowledge spillovers. We find a statistically significant effect of supply chains on international knowledge spillovers. We show that...

“The WTO Analytical Index” is an article-by-article guide to the interpretation and application of the WTO agreements by WTO bodies. It covers the jurisprudence of the WTO Appellate Body, panels and arbitrators as well as related decisions and other significant actions taken by other...

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated digitalization in all sectors, including international trade, which remains hindered by inefficient paper-intensive processes. Of particular interest for trade digitalization are projects leveraging distributed ledger technology (DLT) – commonly referred...

Eighty countries and customs territories so far have introduced export prohibitions or restrictions as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic according to a new report by the WTO Secretariat. The report, which is based on information from official sources and news outlets, draws attention to the...

Over the past 20 years, trade in services has become the most dynamic segment of world trade, growing more quickly than trade in goods. Developing countries and transition economies have played an increasingly important role in this area, increasing their share in exports of world services from...

This paper argues that interests of nationals and owners of home-based foreign capital in the formation of a Trade Agreements (TA) are not antagonistic, except under rather particular assumptions on initial tariffs among potential members. Further, if initial tariffs are endogenously determined...