GATT/WTO Documents

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GATT documents from 1947-1996 used to only be available in microfiche and some libraries still have the fiche. Subject access to the collection is by means of an annual "List and Index." The pre-1983 list contained a list of documents and a broad subject index. Since 1983, the index has an improved subject list, a list of GATT instrument numbers, a product index and a geographical location index. From 1947-1983, the documents are arranged by GATT document number. From 1984 on, use the "List and Index" to locate the appropriate microfiche number. The last set of fiche produced by the GATT were the documents from the Uruguay Round of negotiations (designated "UR" on the microfiche).  There is a separate"List and Index" for this collection of documents. 

There are two collections of GATT documents available on the web. See the GATT Documents collection on the WTO web site and the GATT Digital Archive 1947-1994 (Stanford University).

From 1995 to present, WTO documents are available exclusively at the WTO web site.  It also contains selected material for the period 1986-1994, principally Uruguay Round documents and a small number of GATT documents. The search engine allows for basic and advanced searches. The browse feature allows the user to browse through "frequently-consulted" documents and documents posted in the last month. Another useful way to locate documents is to use the trade topics pages. These pages allow the researcher to locate documents only on specific topics, like agriculture, intellectual property, services, etc.

Originally prepared by Ellen Schaffer. Completely revised and expanded by Marci Hoffman, International and Foreign Law Librarian, UC Berkeley Law Library. Revised August 2006.