On 22 September 2026, the World Trade Organization (WTO) published a blog post stating that since 1996, global trade in goods had more than quadrupled, reaching US$ 20.1 trillion in imports in 2024, up from US$ 4.6 trillion in 1996.
To preserve its integrity, the blog follows:
Over the same period, available data indicate that the simple average tariff applied by WTO members on a most-favoured-nation (MFN) basis – by which WTO members extend the same trade treatment, including tariff rates and market access, to all other members – has declined by 32%, falling from 13.1% to 8.9%.
A similar trend emerges for tariffs applied on a trade-weighted basis, with the average MFN tariff dropping from 7.0% to 3.9%.
When accounting for preferential tariff regimes, including those offered by developed countries to developing and least-developed economies and those in regional trade agreements (RTAs), the decline is even steeper. Between 1996 and 2024, the trade-weighted average of effective applied tariffs - based on the assumption of full utilisation of preferential tariffs – dropped from 6.8% to 2.2%. This larger decrease was due to increased trade in products subject to lower tariffs.
Notably, tariffs on agricultural products fell more than those on industrial products, which were already low in 1996. For example, the largest decrease in trade-weighted MFN applied tariffs on agricultural goods was observed for: oilseeds, fats and oils; cereals and preparation; and animal products. Tariffs for each of these categories fell by about 50% between 1996 and 2024, while tariffs on industrial goods fell most for electrical machinery, which declined from 5.1% in 1996 to 1.4% in 2024.
Changes in trade-weighted averages could be attributed not only to tariff changes, but also to changes in trade flows. For instance, an increase in trade in goods combined with a lower tariff within a product group will reduce the trade-weighted average.
These figures cover the period up to 2024 and do not yet reflect tariff measures introduced since 2025. Despite recent trade policy uncertainty, 72% of world trade in 2026 continues to be conducted on MFN terms. Predicting the future direction of tariffs is difficult, as a range of factors can influence WTO members’ actions. However, the WTO remains committed to helping its members ensure that trade flows as smoothly, predictably and freely as possible.
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https://www.wto.org/english/blogs_e/data_blog_e/blog_dta_22sep26_491_e.htm