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WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATIONAND DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

FM & MM programe

School of Economics and Business, University of

Sarajevo

Amra Mutilovi

Mirza rndi

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MAIN CHARACTERISTICS

Location: Geneva, Switzerland

Established: 1 January 1995

Created by:Uruguay Round negotiations

(1986-94)

Membership:159 countries

on 2 March 2013

Budget: 196 million Swiss francs for 2011Secretariat staff:640

Head:Roberto Azevdo (Director-General)

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WHAT IS THE WTO?

The World Trade Organization (WTO) deals

with the rules of trade between nations at a

global or near-global level. But there is more to

it than that.

Its negotiating forum...

Its set of rules...

It helps to settle disputes...

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WHAT WTO DOES?

Trade negotiations

Implementation and monitoring

Dispute settlement Building trade capacity

Outreach

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WHAT WTO STANDS FOR?

Non-discrimination

More open

Predictable and transparentMore competitive

More beneficial for less developed countries

Protect the environment

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DEVELOPING COUNTRIES IN THE WTO

There are no WTO definitions of

developedand developing countries.

Members announce for themselves whetherthey are developed or developingcountries.

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ENABLING CLAUSE FOR DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

Officially called: Decision on Differentialand More Favourable Treatment,

Reciprocity and Fuller Participation ofDeveloping Countries

The Enabling Clause is the WTO legal basis

for theGeneralized System of Preferences

(GSP).

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SPECIAL PROVISIONS ON DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

Favorable trade consessions from developedcountries

Extra time to fulfill their commitments

Trading opportunities through greatermarket access

Safeguarding the interests of developing

countries Various means of helping in dealing with

their commitments

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TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT COMMITEE

It deals with:

how provisions favouring developing countries

are being implemented

guidelines for technical cooperation

increased participation of developing

countries in the trading system

the position of least-developed countries.

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The Trade and Development Committee

handles notifications of:

Generalized System of Preferences

programmes

preferential arrangements amongdeveloping countries such as MERCOSUR

(the Southern Common Market in Latin

America), the Common Market for Easternand Southern Africa (COMESA), and the

ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA)

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WTO SECRETARIAT

The WTO Secretariat has special legal advisers for assistingdeveloping countries in any WTO dispute and for giving themlegal counsel.

Its responsibilities include:

Administrative and technical support for WTO delegate bodies

for negotiations and the implementation of agreements. Technical support for developing countries, and especially the

least-developed.

Trade performance and trade policy analysis by WTOeconomists and statisticians.

Assistance from legal staff in the resolution of trade disputesinvolving the interpretation of WTO rules and precedents.

Dealing with accession negotiations for new members andproviding advice to governments considering membership.

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SPECIAL FOCUS ON LEAST-DEVELOPED COUNTRIES

The least-developed countries receive extraattention in the WTO. All the WTO agreementsrecognize that they must benefit from thegreatest possible flexibility, and better-off

members must make extra efforts to lowerimport barriers on least-developed countriesexports.

1994 Uruguay Round Agreements 1996 - Plan of Action for Least-Developed

Countries 1997 - Integrated Framework 2002 - work programme for least-developed

countries.

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