At a time when the relevance of the World Trade Organization is increasingly questioned, the 2025 WTO Public Forum offered a timely reminder of the vital role it continues to play amid rising geopolitical tensions and growing uncertainty in global trade. spiritsEUROPE was present once again in Geneva, joining the delegations of FoodDrinkEurope and the World Spirits Alliance (WSA), to convey the importance of a stable, fair and rules-based multilateral trading system to the EU spirits sector, which fundamentally depends on predictability, transparency and international cooperation to thrive.
The WTO continues to serve as a critical safety net for businesses trading beyond the scope of bilateral or regional agreements. Its role as a platform for regulatory dialogue, promotion of good practices, and transparency is more essential than ever. While challenges facing the dispute settlement system and broader reform efforts dominate the agenda, it is important not to overlook the essential work taking place in the Organisation’s technical committees. The day-to-day functioning of global trade relies heavily on the monitoring and information-sharing that occurs in the SPS and TBT Committees, which support better policy-making, smoother regulatory implementation, and greater compliance.
These points were conveyed in a series of bilateral discussions with WTO officials and member delegations throughout the Forum, including meetings with the EU and Indian Missions, representatives from the UK and US delegations, the Chairs of the SPS and TBT Committees, WTO Deputy Director-General Jean-Marie Paugam, and officials from the WTO Secretariat. In all exchanges, the need for sustained and structured private-sector engagement with WTO processes - beyond the Public Forum - was highlighted as a key priority.
A central feature of this year’s participation was the WSA-hosted panel discussion on digital labelling, which explored how digital technologies are transforming the way product information is delivered to consumers and how regulatory frameworks can adapt to support this evolution. The panel brought together DG TRADE’s Lucian Cernat, FoodDrinkEurope’s Dirk Jacobs, China’s Mission’s First Secretary You Song, GS1’s Francesca Poggiali and WSA’s Helen Medina for a rich and forward-looking debate on the benefits of digital labelling for consumers, regulators, companies and the environment alike.
To mark the end of the Forum, the World Spirits Alliance also hosted a cocktail reception, where guests were invited to experience digital labelling in practice. Through interactive QR codes, attendees could discover the journey of each spirit used in their cocktail or mocktail, from origin to glass, showcasing how innovation and transparency can go hand-in-hand.
In the face of growing global fragmentation, the Forum reaffirmed the enduring relevance of the WTO as a space for cooperation and constructive engagement. The EU spirits sector remains firmly committed to supporting its work, not only through dialogue and advocacy during the Public Forum, but by actively participating in the monitoring and implementation of trade rules that help keep international markets open, predictable and fair.
