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The World Trade Organization was established on January 1, 1995, as the multilateral institution charged with administering agreed-upon rules for trade among member countries. The United States and other countries participating in the Uruguay Round of Multilateral Trade Negotiations (1986-94) called for the formation of the WTO to embody the new trade disciplines adopted during those negotiations. The basic aim of the WTO is to liberalize world trade and place it on a secure basis, thereby contributing to economic growth and development.
The Agreement on Agriculture (AoA) was adopted at the conclusion of the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade talks on April 15, 1994. It introduced important new disciplines on the trade of agricultural products. WTO member countries made commitments to reduce domestic support to agriculture, reduce the use of export subsidies, and improve access to their markets.
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