WTO: 2011 NEWS ITEMS

27 January 2011

INTERNATIONAL TRADE STATISTICS

Global Forum on Trade Statistics: Getting the figures right

On 2-4 February 2011, statisticians from developed and developing economies will discuss methods on how to measure trade accurately, in Geneva at the World Trade Organization (WTO).

The issue of trade is high on the political agenda, as was evident in the recent G20 meeting in Seoul where the world leaders wanted to closely monitor and reduce global trade imbalances. Getting the numbers right is therefore essential.

This is the main theme of the Global Forum on Trade Statistics, “Measuring Global Trade — Do we have the right numbers?”, which will be held on 2-4 February 2011 in Geneva, at the WTO.

The event is organised by the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD) and the Statistical Office of the European Union (Eurostat) in collaboration with WTO and UNCTAD.