WTO Seals Deal for First Time in 18 Years to Ease Trade

The World Trade Organization agreed to the first major accord in the group’s 18-year history, a pact designed to smooth commerce at borders and safeguard food security programs in developing nations.

The deal unveiled today in Bali, Indonesia, was the first multilateral agreement negotiated by the WTO’s 159 member nations. It emerged from talks that had continued through the night after the U.S. and India compromised on food subsidies and a Latin American bloc led by Cuba dropped its earlier opposition to a draft agreement.