Governments around the world have continued to erect trade barriers in spite of high-profile pledges at the Group of 20 summit and other forums to resist -protectionism, according to a World Trade Organisation report to be published today.

Over the past three months, the WTO recorded 83 trade-restricting measures undertaken by 24 countries and the European Union - more than double the number of trade-liberalising measures enacted during the same period. However, the report noted that the worst abuses had largely been contained. The figures do not include restrictions on pork imports implemented by 39 countries in the wake of the swine flu outbreak.