Member states of the World Trade Organization

All other members have joined the organization as a result of negotiation, and membership consists of a balance of rights and obligations.

The government applying for membership has to describe all aspects of its trade and economic policies that have a bearing on WTO agreements.

The Working Party Members submit written questions to the applicant to clarify aspects of its foreign trade regime with particular attention being paid to the degree of privatization in the economy and the extent to which government regulation is transparent.

[13] After all necessary background information has been acquired, the Working Party will begin meeting to focus on issues of discrepancy between the WTO rules and the Applicant's international and domestic trade policies and laws.

These talks cover tariff rates and specific market access commitments, and other policies in goods and services.

[16][17] Four other states, China, Lebanon, Liberia, and Syria, were parties to GATT but subsequently withdrew from the treaty prior to the establishment of the WTO.

The 27 states of the European Union are dually represented, as the EU is a full member of the organization.

[21] The Palestinian Authority submitted a request for WTO observer status in October 2009[22] and again in April 2010.

The following table lists all current members, their accession date and previous GATT membership, of which there were 128 nations when the transformation was consummated.

[15][44] Within five years of being granted observer status by the WTO, states are required to begin negotiating their accession to the organization.