Editing World Trade Organization (section)

===Members and observers===
{{see|Member states of the World Trade Organization}}
The WTO has 166 members and 23 observer governments.<ref name="memberlist">{{cite web|url=http://wto.org/english/thewto_e/whatis_e/tif_e/org6_e.htm|title=Members and Observers|publisher=World Trade Organization|date=24 August 2012|access-date=10 September 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110910105304/http://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/whatis_e/tif_e/org6_e.htm|archive-date=10 September 2011|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":10">{{Cite web |date=26 February 2024 |title=Ministers approve WTO membership of Comoros and Timor-Leste at MC13 |url=https://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news24_e/acc_26feb24_e.htm |access-date=26 February 2024 |website=World Trade Organization}}</ref>  Most recently, on 26 February 2024 at the 13th Ministerial Conference in Abu Dhabi, Comoros and Timor Leste were approved to became the 165th and 166th members.<ref name=":10" /> In addition to states, the European Union, and each EU country in its own right,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/countries_e/european_communities_e.htm|title=The European Union and the WTO|website=World Trade Organization|access-date=2 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160624102938/https://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/countries_e/european_communities_e.htm|archive-date=24 June 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> is a member. WTO members do not have to be fully independent states; they need only be a customs territory with full autonomy in the conduct of their external commercial relations. Thus Hong Kong has been a member since 1995 (as "Hong Kong, China" since 1997) predating the People's Republic of China, which joined in 2001 after 15 years of negotiations. [[Taiwan]] acceded to the WTO in 2002 as the "[[Chinese Taipei|Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu]]."<ref name="J109">Jackson, J.H. ''Sovereignty'', 109</ref> The WTO Secretariat omits the official titles (such as Counsellor, First Secretary, Second Secretary and Third Secretary) of the members of [[Taiwan]]'s Permanent Mission to the WTO, except for the titles of the Permanent Representative and the Deputy Permanent Representative.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.mac.gov.tw/public/Data/962717531571.pdf |title=ROC Government Publication |access-date=12 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120119112714/http://www.mac.gov.tw/public/Data/962717531571.pdf |archive-date=19 January 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref>

As of 2007, WTO members represented 96.4% of global trade and 96.7% of global GDP.<ref name=":9">{{cite web|url=http://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/acc_e/cbt_course_e/c1s1p1_e.htm |work=          Handbook on Accession to the WTO |title=Accession in perspective|access-date=22 December 2013|publisher=World Trade Organization|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131224103425/http://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/acc_e/cbt_course_e/c1s1p1_e.htm|archive-date=24 December 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Iran]], followed by [[Algeria]], are the economies with the largest GDP and trade outside the WTO, using 2005 data.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/acc_e/cbt_course_e/annex1_e.doc|title=Annex 1. Statistical Survey|date=2005|access-date=22 December 2013|publisher=World Trade Organization|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131224104338/http://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/acc_e/cbt_course_e/annex1_e.doc|archive-date=24 December 2013|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|title=Iranian Membership in the World Trade Organization: An Unclear Future|journal=[[Iranian Studies (journal)|Iranian Studies]]|date=21 November 2013|last=Arjomandy|first=Danial|doi=10.1080/00210862.2013.859810|volume=47|issue = 6|pages=933–950|s2cid=162297876}}</ref> With the exception of the [[Holy See]], observers must start accession negotiations within five years of becoming observers. A number of international intergovernmental organizations have also been granted observer status to WTO bodies.<ref>[http://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/igo_obs_e.htm International intergovernmental organizations granted observer status to WTO bodies] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070312175427/http://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/igo_obs_e.htm |date=12 March 2007 }} at WTO official website</ref> Ten UN members have no affiliation with the WTO.