India & Ethiopia Sign WTO Accession Protocol – Steps of WTO Membership Process

India and Ethiopia signed a bilateral accession protocol on 22 May 2026 in Geneva, marking Ethiopia's move towards membership of the World Trade Organization (WTO). Understanding the accession process is essential for UPSC aspirants because WTO‑related questions have appeared in both Pre‑lims and Mains. Key Developments (Step‑wise) 1. Membership request : The candidate country formally submits a request to the WTO. 2. Working Party formation : The Working Party is set up by the General Council. Any WTO member may join at any stage. 3. Trade‑regime review : The Working Party examines the applicant’s trade laws. Non‑compliant areas must be reformed and WTO rules inscribed into national legislation. 4. Bilateral market negotiations : The applicant negotiates market‑opening commitments with Working Party members. Outcomes are compiled into two schedules – the Goods Schedule and the Services Schedule . 5. Accession package adoption : The Working Party adopts a five‑document package – Working Party Report, Goods Schedule, Services Schedule, Protocol of Accession , and a decision by the General Council or Ministerial Conference. 6. Full membership : The candidate becomes a WTO member 30 days after the WTO is notified of ratification in the applicant country. Important Facts All tariff commitments are offered on the same terms to every WTO member under the Most‑Favoured Nation principle. The WTO currently has 166 members; decisions are taken by consensus, giving each member a veto. The Director‑General is Dr. Ngozi Okonjo‑Iweala , the first woman and first African to hold the post. The WTO’s top decision‑making body is the Ministerial Conference , which meets biennially. UPSC Relevance The WTO accession framework tests knowledge of international economic institutions (GS3), trade law (GS3), and the consensus‑based decision‑making model (GS2). Past UPSC questions have asked about WTO’s role, the MFN principle, and the functioning of the Appellate Body. Aspirants should link the accession steps to concepts such as “legal harmonisation”, “bilateral negotiations”, and “multilateral trade governance”. Way Forward for Aspirants Memorise the six‑step accession roadmap and the five documents in the accession package. Understand the significance of the MFN principle and how it ensures non‑discriminatory trade. Track current WTO events (e.g., MC14 in Yaoundé) to relate theory with practice. Practice answer writing by framing the accession process as a case study of India’s own trade‑policy reforms.