The World Trade Agenda business recommendations are the result of ongoing global consultations within ICC over the past year, including in preparation for and during the WTA launch conference at the WTO in Geneva on 14 March 2012.

Objectives

ICC's global consultations have identified the following tangible objectives for 2013:

1. Conclude a trade facilitation agreement
2. Implement duty-free and quota-free market access for exports from least-developed countries
3. Phase out agricultural export subsidies
4. Renounce food export restrictions
5. Expand trade in IT products and encourage growth of e-commerce worldwide.

Completing the Doha Development Agenda to advance "beyond Doha"

1. Liberalize trade in services
2. Multilateralize trade liberalization under the WTO framework
3. Foster 'greener' economic activity through trade
4. Move towards a high-standard multilateral framework on investment
5. Reform the WTO Dispute Resolution System

The priorities, which were endorsed at the ICC World Trade Agenda Summit, also draw on the recommendations of the Mexico 2012 B20 Task Force on Trade and Investment, as well as developments in relevant intergovernmental forums such as the outcomes of the 8th WTO Ministerial Conference, the 2012 G20 Summit in Los Cabos, and input from international trade experts.

Global support

ICC has been leading the global business community with initiatives, including the ICC World Trade Agenda and the ICC G20 Advisory Group, which encourage dialogue between business and government in a bid to establish practical policies for opening trade and investment.

ICC has been encouraged by the expressions of support it has received from the WTO and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) for the World Trade Agenda initiative.

The World Trade Agenda business priorities will also feed into the G20 policy process, with the aim of strengthening the trade and investment policy component of the G20 agenda.