Jamieson Greer Rejects WTO After Failed Digital Trade Reforms

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer condemned the World Trade Organization as ineffective and dysfunctional after the 14th Ministerial Conference in Yaoundé, Cameroon. The conference failed to implement structural reforms or make permanent a U.S.-led moratorium on tariffs for digital goods. Although 164 members agreed to a four-year extension, delegations from Brazil and Turkey blocked the move by insisting on a two-year renewal cycle.

In a subsequent op-ed in the Wall Street Journal, Greer argued that the WTO's consensus-based decision-making system prevents the organization from addressing global trade imbalances or the impact of the first "China shock" on American manufacturing. He stated that the organization was of no use during that period and remains absent from current efforts to secure supply chains and tackle non-tariff barriers.

Consequently, the United States intends to bypass the WTO in favor of regional, bilateral, and unilateral arrangements. Greer cited the Trump administration's reciprocal trade agreements as a more successful method for protecting domestic production and opening foreign markets. While the stalled negotiations were referred back to the WTO headquarters in Geneva, Greer indicated that the U.S. will no longer wait for the organization to respond to the needs of American workers and businesses.