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When did the World Trade Organization begin operating?
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World Trade Organization
Workers sewing clothing in a garment factory in Ho Chi Minh City in April, 2025.
The World Trade Organization (WTO) officially began its operations on January 1, 1995.1
It was established as the successor to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) following the conclusion of the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations. While the GATT had served as the primary framework for international trade since 1948, the WTO was created to provide a stronger, more formal organization to monitor trade policies and resolve disputes between its member nations.123