Global trade governance and development

doi:10.1017/CBO9780511996221.021

20 - Global trade governance and development

the WTO accession conundrum

from Part IV - Making WTO negotiations and decision-making processes fairer

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 07 September 2011

Carlos Primo Braga and

Olivier Cattaneo

Edited by

Carolyn Deere Birkbeck

Show author details

Carolyn Deere Birkbeck: Affiliation:
University of Oxford, Global Economic Governance Programme

Book contents

Get access

Summary

The set of non-discriminatory trading rules embedded in World Trade Organization (WTO) agreements has the characteristics of a global public good, and the WTO, as the main institutional framework for global trade governance, has a key role in facilitating an open international trading system. In the United Nations Millennium Declaration the international community committed to ‘develop further an open trading and financial system that is rule-based, predictable, and non discriminatory’ with a view ‘to ensure that globalization becomes a positive force for all the world’s people’ (Millennium Development Goal (MDG) No. 8). Acceding to the WTO implies sharing responsibility in the governance of this global public good. Hence, universal membership of the WTO seems, prima facie, a worthwhile goal.

The WTO, however, faces a dilemma. On one hand, it inherits the old tradition of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), whereby countries contribute to the objective of promoting trade ‘by entering into reciprocal and mutually advantageous arrangements directed to the substantial reduction of tariffs and other barriers to trade and to the elimination of discriminatory treatment in international commerce’ (Preamble of the GATT 1947 and 1994). In other words, accession to the WTO implies ‘reciprocity’. At the same time, the central position of the WTO in the world trading system and the objective of universal Membership suggests that the ‘cost’ of accession should be kept as low as possible, so as to not exclude the poorest countries. In practice, however, tensions between the WTO’s mercantilist heritage and its role as the institutional vessel for a global public good produce a number of challenges with respect to accession procedures.

Type: Chapter
Information: Making Global Trade Governance Work for Development
Perspectives and Priorities from Developing Countries
, pp. 552 - 576

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511996221.021 [Opens in a new window]

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Print publication year: 2011

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Book purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

Adlung, R 2007 The Contribution of Services Liberalization to Poverty Reduction: What Role for the GATS?The Journal of World Investment and Trade 8 1CrossRef Google Scholar

Birdsall, NLawrence, R 1999 Kaul, I.Grunberg, I.Stern, M.Global Public Goods: International Cooperation in the 21st CenturyNew YorkOxford University Press for the United Nations Development ProgrammeGoogle Scholar

Cattaneo, O 2005 Mitchell, A.Challenges and Prospects for the WTOLondonCameron May PublicationsGoogle Scholar

Charnovitz, S 2008 Janow, M.Donaldson, V.Yanovich, A.The WTO: Dispute Settlement, Governance, and Developing CountriesHuntingtonJuris PublishingGoogle Scholar

Chea, SSok, H 2005 Gallagher, P.Low, P.Stoler, A.L.Managing the Challenges of WTO Participation, 45 Case StudiesCambridge University Press and WTOGoogle Scholar

Curzon, G 1965 Multilateral Commercial Diplomacy, The GATT and its Impact on National Commercial Policies and TechniquesLondonMichael Joseph LtdGoogle Scholar

Drabek, ZBacchetta, M 2004 Tracing the Effects of WTO Accession on Policy-making in Sovereign States: Preliminary Lessons from the Recent Experience of Transition CountriesThe World Economy 27 1083CrossRef Google Scholar

Eschenbach, FHoekman, B 2006 Services Policies in Transition Economies: On the EU and the WTO as Commitment MechanismsWorld Trade Review 5 415CrossRef Google Scholar

Evenett, S 2006

Evenett, S.Primo Braga, C. A. 2006 Newfarmer, R.Trade, Doha, and Development: A Window into the IssuesWashington, DCWorld BankGoogle Scholar

Gallagher, PLow, PStoler, A. L 2005 Managing the Challenges of WTO Participation, 45 Case StudiesCambridge University Press and WTOCrossRef

Gay, D 2005

Hallett, APrimo Braga, C 1994 The New Regionalism and the Threat of ProtectionismJournal of the Japanese and International Economies 8 388CrossRef Google Scholar

Hudec, R 1988 Developing Countries in the GATT Legal SystemLondonTrade Policy Research CentreGoogle Scholar

Ianchovichina, EMartin, W 2001 Trade Liberalization in China’s Accession to the WTOJournal of Economic Integration 16 421CrossRef Google Scholar

Kennett, MEvenett, SGage, J 2005 Evaluating WTO Accessions: Legal and Economic PerspectivesDraft manuscriptGoogle Scholar

Lacey, S 2007 Streatfeild, J.Lacey, L.

Martin, W 2006 Working PaperWashington, DCWorld BankGoogle Scholar

Mattoo, A 2003 China’s Accession to the WTO: The Services DimensionJournal of International Economic Law 6 299CrossRef Google Scholar

Michalopoulos, C 2002 Hoekman, B.English, P.Mattoo, A.Development, Trade, and the WTO: A HandbookWashington, DCThe World BankGoogle Scholar

‘Ofa, S. V. 2007 New Reflections on International TradeLondonCameron MayGoogle Scholar

Oxfam International 2004 Extortion at the GateOxfam Briefingwww.oxfam.orgGoogle Scholar

Primo Braga, C. ACattaneo, O 2009 Primo Braga, C.A.Cattaneo, O.The WTO and Accession CountriesCheltenham, UK and Northampton, USAEdward Elgar PublishingCrossRef Google Scholar

Primo Braga, C. ACattaneo, O 2009 The WTO and Accession CountriesCheltenham, UK and Northampton, USAEdward Elgar PublishingCrossRef

Primo Braga, C. AFink, CLucenti, KZarcone, F. 2004

Rajkarnikar, P. 2005 Gallagher, P.Low, P.Stoler, A.L.Managing the Challenges of WTO Participation, 45 Case StudiesCambridge University Press and WTOGoogle Scholar

Streatfeild, JLacey, L 2007 New Reflections on International TradeLondonCameron May

Tsogtbaatar, D 2005 Gallagher, P.Low, P.Stoler, A.L.Managing the Challenges of WTO Participation 45 Case StudiesCambridge University Press and WTOGoogle Scholar

United Nations 2000 United Nations Millennium DeclarationNew YorkUNGoogle Scholar

United Nations 2001 Road Map Towards the Implementation of the United Nations Millennium DeclarationNew YorkUNGoogle Scholar

Van Grasstek, C 2001 WTO Accessions and Development PoliciesUNCTAD. GenevaUNCTADGoogle Scholar

World Trade Organization (WTO) 1995 Accession to the World Trade Organization, Procedures for Negotiations under Article 12. Note by the SecretariatGenevaWTOGoogle Scholar

World Trade Organization (WTO) 2001 Report of the Working Party on the Accession of ChinaGenevaWTOGoogle Scholar

World Trade Organization (WTO) 2003 Accession of Least Developed Countries (Guidelines)GenevaWTOGoogle Scholar

World Trade Organization (WTO) 2005 Technical Note on the Accession ProcessGenevaWTOGoogle Scholar

World Trade Organization (WTO) 2008 A Handbook on Accession to the WTOCambridge University Press and WTOGoogle Scholar

World Trade Organization (WTO) 2009 Accession of Developing Countries – Communication from Gabon on Behalf of the Informal Group of Developing CountriesGenevaWTOGoogle Scholar

World Trade Organization (WTO) 2010 WTO Accessions: 2009 Annual Report by the Director-GeneralGenevaWTOGoogle Scholar

Ya Qin, J 2003 WTO-plus Obligations and their Implications for the World Trade Organization Legal SystemJournal of World Trade 37 483Google Scholar