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Members review regional trade agreements, confirm meeting frequency, adopt annual report

At a meeting of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Committee on Regional Trade Agreements (CRTA) on 29 October 2026, WTO members considered five regional trade agreements (RTAs) among members as well as three involving non-members. They also noted new RTA notifications and adopted the Committee’s Annual Report for 2026.

Consideration of RTAs, future meeting frequency and annual report

The chair of the committee, the Ambassador of Cabo Verde, announced that this was her last meeting as chair due to her return to the capital. She urged members to continue to make timely notifications, pointing to the considerable number of RTAs not yet notified.

Members adopted the annual report of the CRTA for 2026 and discussed how frequently the committee should meet for deliberations going forward. They agreed to continue holding three (3) meetings per year, as tested during a recently concluded two-year trial period.

The committee took note of the following notifications: 

  • The Israel-Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement (VIFTA).
  • The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between the Government of Ukraine and the Government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
  • The Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of India.
  • Entry into force of the accession of the United Kingdom (UK) to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) for Mexico and Canada.
  • The Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the Pacific Alliance and Singapore, goods and services - Entry into force for Chile, Peru and Singapore.
  • The FTA between Hong Kong, China and Peru, goods and services.
  • The FTA between the EFTA States and Kosovo, goods and services.
  • The FTA between the EFTA States and MERCOSUR, goods and services - Entry into force for Iceland and Brazil.

Members also considered five (5) RTAs among members based on factual presentations prepared by the WTO Secretariat, with representatives taking the floor:

  • The EPA between the European Union (EU) and Kenya, goods.
  • Interim Agreement on Trade between the EU and Chile, goods and services.
  • The FTA between the EFTA States and the Republic of Moldova, goods and services.
  • The FTA between Ukraine and Kazakhstan, goods.
  • The FTA between Israel and Colombia, goods and services.

Similarly, they also considered three RTAs with non-members:

  • The agreement between the EU and the Faroe Islands, goods.
  • The FTA between the UK and the Faroe Islands, goods.
  • The Partnership, Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the UK and Kosovo (goods).

More information on these and other agreements is available in the WTO RTA Database.

Next meeting

The next Committee meeting is scheduled for 09 March 2027.

https://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news26_e/rta_29oct26_532_e.htm

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