The World Trade Organization (WTO) Explained in One Minute

一分鐘解釋：什麼是世界貿易組織 (WTO)

The World Trade Organization is the entity which regulates international trade since January the first 1995 .
世界貿易組織最早於1995年的1月開始運作，負責管理國際貿易秩序。

The main goal of the WTO is creating a level playing field by setting and enforcing
rules.
WTO主要目標是訂定規則，創造一個公平的競爭環境。

So that the 164 countries which are currently members can trade with one
another smoothly .
以便目前164個會員國都能順利的進行交易。

Here’s how the things work.
WTO是這樣運作的：

1.In theory, rules can be created or altered through a majority vote .
第一，理論上，可以創造新規則，或是用投票的方式改變

But in most cases, such decisions are each and annually.
但是大多數的情況，都是年度性的決議。

2. Whenever disputes arise, the WTO tries to resolve them through negotiation.
第二，只要有紛爭出現，WTO會試著用協商的方式解決。

3. if necessary the organisation can even impose sanctions on countries which break the rules .
第三，有必要的話，WTO會制裁那些違反規則的國家。

All of this might sound great .
這些聽起來很棒。

But like any other organization out there, the WTO also received criticism.
但是WTO還是會受到其他組織的批評。

Because one, some citizens believe letting the WTO create rules that their country has to follow is undemocratic.
第一，因為有些人覺得，國家得遵守WTO創造的規則很不民主。

 2. in certain cases the WTO risk hurting people to protect business interest .
第二，WTO在某些情況下，為了確保商業利益卻導致人民需要承擔風險。

For example, poor countries that can't afford expensive patent medicine .
舉例來說，貧窮國家不能負擔昂貴的專利藥。

Such as HIV drugs had to wait until patent expires before producing or buying cheaper generic version.
像是HIV藥物，必須等專利到期才能生產與，或是直接購買無專利的藥。

Eventually, the WTO enabled them to bypass tax regulation during national emergency situation .
WTO最後允許他們在國家危急情勢時，在稅法上走捷徑。

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In other cases the WTO ends up being accused by businesses.
在其他事件中，WTO被一些企業控告。

For example, by pharmaceutical companies which complain that if countries declare
a national emergency to bypass patent.
例如，藥品公司控訴，如果越來越多國家宣布國家緊急狀況，

Regulations for more and more drugs.
為了更多的藥而避開專利法，

They cannot recover the money they invested to innovate and create these drugs and as such .
他們不能回收製造藥物的成本。

Research and innovation are discouraged as can be seen.
由此可見，這會狠狠打擊藥物的研究與發明。

The job of the WTO is anything but easy and therefore controversy will always
surround this organization.
WTO的工作極其困難，因此充斥著許多爭議。

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