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The Ministerial Conference Is The Highest Decision Making Body Of The Wto

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The Ministerial Conference is the highest decision making body of the WTO. This body is composed of international trade ministers from each member country and is responsible for setting the strategic direction of the WTO. This body has the authority to make all final decisions on multilateral trade agreement matters, which it accomplishes by meeting together at least once every two years. The General Council is the second highest level of the WTO and also possesses key decision-making authority. The council takes on the role of trade policy review as well as the dispute settlement. With its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, this body is composed of senior representatives and is responsible for overseeing the everyday business and management activities of the WTO. The Trade Policy Review Body of the General Council oversees the Trade Policy Review Mechanism. The Trade Policy Review Mechanism was established as a result of the Uruguay Round and its purpose is to: contribute to improved adherence by all Members to rules, disciplines and commitments made under the Multilateral Trade Agreements and, where applicable, the Plurilateral Trade Agreements, and hence to the smoother functioning of the multilateral trading system, by achieving greater transparency in, and understanding of, the trade policies and practices of Members. To do this, the Trade Policy Review Body regularly reviews the trade policies and practices of all member countries. These reviews give a

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