|
 The
completion of the Uruguay Round with the setting up of WTO in
1995 marked an important turning point for the world economy.
What started as a process of trade liberalization under GATT has
come to embrace broader parameters of policy hitherto subject to
decision-making at the national levels. The ministerial
conferences of WTO evoke a lot of interest among the policy
makers and the civil society given the critical effect of their
decisions for development patterns.
The
Uruguay Round also signified a new trend in multilateral trade
negotiations. In this Round, developing countries undertook far
heavier commitments than developed countries. Developed
countries not only have emerged as beneficiaries of the Round,
they have been resistant to giving any market access that had
been promised. In fact, signs of a protectionist backlash are
visible. The effects of the asymmetries in the process of trade
liberalization are clearly evident in the form of declining
shares of world trade, terms of trade, growth and equity in the
developing world. These trends do not bode well for the
long-term sustainability of the world trading system.
The
Doha Ministerial Conference attempted to restore the emphasis on
development in the WTO. The progress since the Doha Ministerial,
however, has been far from satisfactory. Almost all the
deadlines proposed have been missed. On the other hand, pressure
is mounting on developing countries to agree to give the
negotiating mandate on the Singapore Issues at the Cancun
Ministerial.
It is
clear that the multilateral trade negotiations have failed to
liberalize the trade and industrial policy regimes in the world’s
richest and most developed countries that could have enabled
equitable sharing of the fruits of globalization.
The World
Trade and Development Report 2003 examines the trends
and asymmetries in the emerging multilateral trading system from
a development perspective. It also outlines an agenda for
developing countries for the Cancun Ministerial and beyond to
restore the development focus and - more importantly -popular
confidence in the multilateral trading system.
The Report argues that
the trade liberalization should be seen as a ‘means’ and not
the ‘end by itself’. The ‘end’ beyond any doubt should
be sustainable development in all parts of the world, with
principles of efficiency and equity providing the basis.
Contents
Foreword
by Shri K.C. Pant, Deputy Chairman, Planning
Commission and Chairman, RIS
Preface
|
| Chapter
1: |
World
Trading System and Developing Countries: Agenda
for Cancun and Beyond |
| Chapter
2: |
WTO,
Rising Protectionism and Development |
| Chapter
3: |
Singapore
Issues: Investment, Competition Policy,
Government Procurement and Trade Facilitation |
| Chapter
4: |
Agreement
on Agriculture and Developing Countries |
| Chapter
5: |
Market
Access for Non-Agriculture Sector |
| Chapter
6: |
TRIPs,
Public Health, Traditional Knowledge and
Geographical Indications |
| Chapter
7: |
Environmental
Requirements and Market Access for Developing
Countries: Implementation Related Concerns |
| Chapter
8: |
Issues
in Disputes Settlement Understanding: Developing
Countries Perspective |
| Chapter
9: |
Issues
in Special and Differential Treatment |
|
|
The
World Trade and Development Report 2003
has been prepared by an RIS research team
led by Dr Nagesh Kumar, Director-General, RIS.
The core team comprised Dr Rajesh Mehta, Senior
Fellow, RIS, and Dr Sachin Chaturvedi, Dr Ram
Upendra Das and S.K. Mohanty, Fellows of RIS.
Key
inputs have been provided by Dr. J. George,
Senior Consultant and Rajesh Sehgal, Consultant.
The Report Team benefited a great deal from
perceptive comments and advice of Saikat Sinha-Roy.
The
team has benefited from interactions with a
number of scholars, experts and negotiators at
different stages including Yilmaz Akyuz, T.K.
Bhaumik, K.M. Chandrasekhar, Ha-Joon Chang,
Carlos Correa, B.L Das, Muchkund Dubey, Enrique
Lendo Fuentes, Torbjörn Fredriksson, Murray
Gibbs, R. Gopalan, Branislav Gosovich, Ashok
Gulati, Anwarul Hoda, Raj Kanoria, Saman
Kelegama, Martin Khor, Ivan Mbirimi, S.N. Menon,
Rajiva Misra, Amit Mitra, S. Narayanan, Hardeep
Puri, Lakshmi Puri, Shishir Priyadarshi, S.L.
Rao, Pedro Roffe, Karl Sauvant, Prabir Sengupta,
Shashank, S.P. Shukla, Rajiv Sikri, V. S.
Seshadri, M. Sornarajah, Ronald Steenblik, J.P
Verbiest, and Richard Kojul-Wright. However, the
views presented are those of the members of the
core team. |
|
|