01/10/2015 (Agence Europe) - Council endorses EU ratification of WTO trade facilitation agreement. On Thursday 1 October, the Council of the EU adopted a decision approving, on behalf of the EU, the conclusion of the WTO protocol establishing the trade facilitation agreement (TFA). Concluded at the ninth WTO ministerial conference in Bali in December 2013 and being part of a package of measures for developing countries, the TFA contains a raft of rules to simplify and ease customs procedures and to increase the participation of developing countries in world trade. The TFA will enter into force when two thirds of the WTO member countries have completed their domestic ratification process. There are currently 19 WTO member countries that have ratified it. (EH)