Trade, tariffs and industry

Executive Order 13042: Implementing for the United States Article VIII of the Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization Concerning Legal Capacity and Privileges and Immunities

President: Bill Clinton

Applied defined international-organization privileges and immunities to the WTO in the United States, subject to express limits.

Status: In effect.

Is Executive Order 13042 still in effect? Yes. Active designation; no express revocation appears in the official disposition record.

What does Executive Order 13042 do?

EO 13042 implemented Article VIII of the WTO Agreement by extending the relevant provisions of the UN Specialized Agencies Convention to the WTO, its officials and member representatives in the United States. It preserved US authority over entry, residence and taxation of US nationals and permanent residents and limited property-tax relief to property used for WTO purposes. It also designated the WTO under the International Organizations Immunities Act.

Administration position: The order grants only the privileges and immunities defined by the governing treaty, statute and reservations; it does not give every WTO participant blanket immunity from US law.
SignedApril 9, 1997
OrganizationWorld Trade Organization
Statutory frameworkInternational Organizations Immunities Act

Before and after

Before the order

The United States had accepted the WTO Agreement but needed domestic implementation for the organization’s specified legal protections.

After the order

Covered WTO property, officials and representatives received the defined domestic treatment, subject to the order’s reservations and limits.

Who had to do what

Agency / officeActionTiming / position
Federal, state and local authoritiesRecognize covered privileges and immunitiesWhen the legal criteria are met
State DepartmentAdminister relevant international-organization questionsContinuing

What happened next

The WTO Agreement entered into force for the United States.

EO 13042 implemented Article VIII domestically.

No express revocation appeared in the official disposition record.