The 2020 edition looks into the latest trends in global trade, with an in-depth analysis of trade in goods and services and in value-added terms. It points to the major changes in recent years, highlighting the leading traders, the best-performing regions, the most traded goods and services, and the performance of least-developed countries. The publication also looks into the impact of COVID-19 on global trade and the outlook for 2020.

In an introduction to the publication, Director-General Roberto Azevedo says: "The WTO plays a critical role in compiling and analysing trade data. While the ongoing pandemic represents a dramatic break with nearly all recent economic trends, the fact remains that patterns in global trade offer useful insights for what the future may hold."

The report looks into the shifting patterns in global trade across a range of sectors, pinpointing areas that have seen major changes in recent years. These include trade in renewable energy goods, such as solar panels and electric cars, and trade in plastics. It also focuses on the impact of trade tensions in sectors such as iron and steel and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in areas such as tourism.

The report's analytical chapters are complemented by 65 tables providing a detailed breakdown of various aspects of merchandise trade and trade in commercial services.

The merchandise trade data in the report was compiled in collaboration with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) while commercial services data was jointly produced with UNCTAD and the International Trade Centre (ITC) in cooperation with the United Nations Statistics Division.