The World Trade Organization (WTO) has announced a significant reduction in tariffs applied by its members since its establishment in 1995.
According to a report published on 22 September 2026, the average most-favored-nation (MFN) tariffs decreased from 7.0% in 1996 to 3.9% in 2024.
When accounting for preferential regimes, notably those granted by developed countries to developing economies and regional trade agreements, the decline is even more pronounced: the trade-weighted average effective tariff fell from 6.8% to 2.2% over the same period.
This stronger decrease is explained by increased trade in products subject to lower tariffs.
By product group, tariffs on agricultural products have fallen more sharply than those on industrial products, which were already low in 1996. For example, duties on oilseeds, cereals, and animal products dropped by about 50% between 1996 and 2024.
In industry, the largest reduction concerns electrical machinery, with tariffs falling from 5.1% to 1.4%.
This trend reflects both tariff reductions and changes in trade flows, with increased exchanges in categories with lower tariffs.