The WTO has had a significant but uneven impact on world trade, according to a study by Arvind Subramanian and Shang-Jin Wei. The research shows that WTO membership has led to a substantial increase in trade for industrial countries, with imports rising by about 44% of world trade. However, the impact on developing countries has been less pronounced, although those that joined after the Uruguay Round have benefited from increased imports. The effects of the WTO have also been asymmetric across sectors, with agriculture and textiles being less affected than other sectors. The study highlights three key asymmetries: between developed and developing countries, between new and old developing country members, and between sectors where the WTO has been effective in reducing trade barriers and those where it has been less effective. The authors argue that the WTO has promoted trade in a way consistent with its design, and that the previous conclusion that the WTO had no significant impact on trade was incomplete. The study uses an extended gravity model to analyze trade data and finds that WTO membership has had a positive impact on trade, particularly for industrial countries. The results suggest that the WTO has played a crucial role in promoting global trade, although the benefits have not been evenly distributed across all countries and sectors.The WTO has had a significant but uneven impact on world trade, according to a study by Arvind Subramanian and Shang-Jin Wei. The research shows that WTO membership has led to a substantial increase in trade for industrial countries, with imports rising by about 44% of world trade. However, the impact on developing countries has been less pronounced, although those that joined after the Uruguay Round have benefited from increased imports. The effects of the WTO have also been asymmetric across sectors, with agriculture and textiles being less affected than other sectors. The study highlights three key asymmetries: between developed and developing countries, between new and old developing country members, and between sectors where the WTO has been effective in reducing trade barriers and those where it has been less effective. The authors argue that the WTO has promoted trade in a way consistent with its design, and that the previous conclusion that the WTO had no significant impact on trade was incomplete. The study uses an extended gravity model to analyze trade data and finds that WTO membership has had a positive impact on trade, particularly for industrial countries. The results suggest that the WTO has played a crucial role in promoting global trade, although the benefits have not been evenly distributed across all countries and sectors.