World Trade Organization (WTO)

Analytical Note, March 2007

Fact Sheet 1: Understanding the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs).

This Analytical Note is part of a series of Fact Sheets designed to overview and assess the development implications of the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs), which the EU is currently negotiating with 75 countries in Africa, the Caribbean and Pacific (ACP). (more…)

Research Paper 9, January 2007

A Development Analysis of the proposed WIPO Treaty on the Protection of Broadcasting & Cablecasting.

Since 1998, Member States of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) have discussed the creation of a new international instrument for the protection of broadcasting organizations. It is possible that final negotiations on a treaty on the protection of broadcasting organizations, including cablecasting organizations, will be initiated and conclude sometime in 2007. (more…)

Analytical Note, November 2006

State of Play in Agricultural Negotiations: Country Grouping’ Positions – November 2006 update.

This note provides an overview of the position of various countries and group of countries active in the WTO agriculture negotiations with respect to critical issues discussed in the WTO agricultural negotiations. (more…)

Analytical Note, October 2006

The Suspension of the WTO DDA Negotiations: Scenarios and identification of pressure points for Developing Countries.

This note identifies some opportunities and challenges that the suspension of the WTO Doha negotiations has created for developing countries. In fact, an early identification of pressure points in the negotiations can contribute to the preparedness of developing country delegations for the time negotiations resume. (more…)

Policy Brief 5, September 2006

Increasing LDC Participation in Services through Special Priority Market Access in the WTO.

The participation of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) in international trade in services is minimal. Unlike the case of goods, in services, LDCs compete on a Most Favoured Nation (MFN) basis. It is therefore impossible for a country to give a market opening only to LDCs, on terms more favourable than is available to others. (more…)

Analytical Note, August 2006

Comparative assessment of developing country participation in the governance of the global economic institutions.

This paper comparatively analyses developing country participation in the governance of the IMF, World Bank, and WTO and discusses the merits and demerits of the current governance mechanisms. (more…)

Analytical Note, August 2006

The Development Dimension of the GATS Domestic Regulation Negotiations.

This Analytical Note discusses the implications GATS Article VI: 4 disciplines can have on developing countries and least developed countries and their pursuit for development through domestic regulations. (more…)

Analytical Note, May 2006

Enhancing positive corporate contributions to development: making corporate responsibility for development operational in the UNCTAD XI MTR context.

This paper is intended to provide readers with a brief overview of the current state of play (as of late March 2004) of the pre-conference negotiations, and then goes on to describe, paragraph by paragraph, the differences in negotiating positions among various countries. (more…)

Analytical Note, May 2006

Some reasons not to negotiate export taxes and restrictions in the WTO NAMA Negotiations.

This Analysis briefly examines some of the economic and policy reasons behind the application of export taxes and export restrictions in developing countries. The elements enumerated in this note provide arguments against negotiations aimed at further restricting the use of this type of policy tools, as currently being proposed by developed countries in the WTO NAMA negotiations. (more…)

Analytical Note, May 2006

NAMA State of Play: Countries Negotiating Positions.

This note presents, in a schematic form, the negotiating positions of selected WTO Members or Groups of Members in the WTO Negotiations on Non- Agricultural Market Access (NAMA). (more…)

Research Paper 6, April 2006

Considering gender and the WTO services negotiations.

The objective of this paper is to raise awareness amongst trade negotiators from developing and least developed countries of the inter-relationship between gender and trade in services issues. The context is the negotiations within the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) under the auspices of the World Trade Organization (WTO). (more…)

Analytical Note, April 2006

Elements for the Architecture of Aid for Trade.

The underlying message of this paper is that aid for trade is important to mitigate trade-induced adjustment costs and to bolster supply-side capacity in developing countries. However, aid is only second-best to balanced, fair and equitable trading rules. (more…)