International Development Grant
Aid for Trade Initiative - Advisory Centre on World Trade Organization Law
Project Number: CA-3-M013274005
Status: Closed
Country/Region: Unknown
Regional Focus:
Maximum Contribution: $2,500,000.00
Start Date: February 11, 2011
End Date: March 31, 2014
Duration: 3.1 years
Project Description
This grant is Canada’s contribution to the Advisory Centre on World Trade Organization Law (ACWL) in support of the Aid for Trade Initiative. The Centre was set up in 2001 to provide developing countries with legal advice and training in World Trade Organization (WTO) law and to support developing countries involved in WTO dispute settlement proceedings. The Centre provides legal advice training and assistance to countries addressing legal issues regarding international standards. It also assists in creating legally consistent approaches to trade facilitation negotiations and is a key part of the multilateral trading system as it allows more of a level playing field for developing countries to access the WTO dispute settlement mechanism. The Aid for Trade Initiative was launched in 2005 as a result of an agreement between World Trade Organization members to help developing countries use trade as an engine for growth and poverty reduction. The Aid for Trade Initiative helps developing countries build the production capacity and trade-related infrastructure needed to implement and benefit from trade agreements and to expand their trade. It also supports the implementation of trade facilitation measures and the improvement of trade standards.
Progress & Results Achieved
Results achieved as of December 2011 include: 1) The Advisory Centre on World Trade Organization Law (ACWL) has provided impartial legal opinions on the WTO-consistency of technical regulations sanitary and phytosanitary measures (food safety and plant health standards) import licensing requirements and trade remedy measures (measures to ensure fairness in international trade) permitting developing countries to assess the chances of being successful in dispute settlement proceedings. Since its inception in 2001 the ACWL has assisted developing countries in 38 WTO dispute settlement proceedings. 2) The ACWL has provided 218 legal opinions and advice to help recipient countries improve in the following areas: WTO-consistency of domestic tax measures tariffs subsidies trade remedy investigations sanitary and phytosanitary measures intellectual property protection services regulations and proposed regional trade agreements. 3) The ACWL has advised developing countries on legal issues arising in their trade policy reviews and in WTO committees such as the Committees on Technical Barriers to Trade and on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures. The ACWL has also provided advice on legal aspects of proposals submitted in the Doha Development Round negotiations. In 2011 23 of the ACWL’s 30 developing country members entitled to its services benefitted from its legal advice.
Key Information
Executing Agency:
Advisory Centre on World Trade Organization Law
Reporting Organization:
Global Affairs Canada
Program:
YFMInternaAssistPartnershp&Programing Br
Last Modified:
September 19, 2025
Development Classifications
DAC Sector:
Aid Type: Contributions to specific-purpose programmes and funds managed by implementing partners
Collaboration: Bilateral
Finance Type: Aid grant excluding debt reorganisation
Selection Mechanism:
Pre-APP