WTO tells US to cut trade barriers, improve exports

The Us should cut barriers to its markets to help it tackle economic turmoil, and boost exports to deal with its current account deficit, the World Trade Organisation (WTO) said.

Further adjustment and reforms by the US would lessen distortions in global markets and strengthen the global trading system, as the US is the world's biggest economy and trader, it said in a trade policy review due to be published on June 9, a copy of which was obtained by Reuters.

"In the face of the economic uncertainty prevalent early this year, US welfare would be best promoted by exploiting the adjustment capacity of the US economy and continuing to reduce barriers to market access and other distorting measures, including those that result from high levels of assistance in agriculture and energy," the WTO said.

US exports and imports continued to expand faster than GDP over the past couple of years, the WTO noted.