Wto & Developments Till Cancun Ppt

WTO - Its Origin, Organisation & Oerational Aftermath of world war-II & emergence • GATT in 1948. Mechanism -PART-1

of

• Lowering

of tariffs on goods only & modifications through several rounds with provisions to deal with problems of developing countries.

• Uruguay Round enlarged the scope including other areas i.e. services, Environment, Textiles etc.

TRIPS,

TRIMS

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• WTO set up to oversee URAS & a forum for further liberalization & dispute settlement - Single undertaking - Predicable & secured market access - Transparent, measurable & binding tariffs - MFN status - National Treatment - Credible dispute settlement system - Review mechanism of Trade policies - continuing forum for trade liberalization - special & developing & LDCs

differential

treatment

to

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• India a founder member, pursuing Trade liberalization.

• India’s active role in creating awareness that multilateral trade negotiations must serve development goals of developing & LDCs.

• India’s role in articulating, designing & developing Doha Development Agenda

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Organization • Umbrella

Organization to implementation of agreements Round and thereafter.

oversee the under Uruguay

• Apex body for decision making along with dispute settlement and compliance.

• General Council performs delegated functions and is being assisted by several councils.

• Unanimous Decision making like GATT and decision making by majority in exceptional cases. Each member has one vote Provision for special voting.

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• Located in Geneva & headed by Director

General who is appointed in consultation with member countries.

• At present, it has 149 members. • Though inter-governmental, it informs the civil society & Private sector

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PART –II Ministerial Meetings – Singapore (Dec 1996) • Instead

of focusing on Implementation problems, developing countries opposed inclusion of new areas such as labour clause, trade & investment, trade & competition, trade facilitation & govt. procurement.

• Issue of E-commerce left

for agreement, labour clause for ILO.

•

Plurilateral

Final Ministerial text was a compromise to avoid failure but dissension became apparent. 6

2nd ministerial meeting – Geneva – (June 1998) • Celebration of golden jubilee • General council to look into the problems concerning implementation of URA • Commencement of negotiations on built-in agenda in URA • The new subjects under study and analysis of WTO • More ceremonial than substantive one

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3rd Ministerial meetingSeattle, USA (1999) • Demonstrations resulting in law & order problem & cancellation of inauguration.

• Civil societies from Developed & developing

countries opposed. Former wanted inclusion of labour or social clause where as the latter opposed inclusion of Singapore issues and non-solution to the implementation problems of URA, conference was a disaster. 8

4th Ministerial Meeting – Doha, Qatar (2001) • Agreement of public health and TRIPS was agreed before the meeting

• Problems associated with developing countries in implementation of URA were placed on front burner and agreed that decision on new issues deferred for 5th ministerial meeting.

• Doha Development Agenda was formulated keeping developing countries’ interests in mind.

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5th Ministerial Meeting – Cancun, Mexico (2003) • • •

Unbridgeable differences between developed & developing countries, LDCs on issues such as agricultural subsidies, NAMA issues, GATs etc. Insistence of developed countries to include even truncated Singapore issues which was not acceptable to developing countries. Rise of G-20 & Collapse of Cancun.

th • 6 WTO Ministerial Meeting Hongkong, Dec.2005 a. Abolition of Export Subsidies by 2013. b. Abolition of Cotton Export Subsidies by 2006 and free access to cotton growing

countries to developed markets. c.For NAMA Modalities to be agreed by April,2006 and Final Negotiations to be completed by July,2006 d. For Services offers to be made by Feb.2006, revised offer & acceptance by July,2006 & negotiations by 31 Oct.2006 e.Entire Doha Development Agenda Negotiaions to be completed by Dec.2006. Wrap UP. Hongkong hearlded a new phase of global cooperation among developed and developing countries resulting from July ,2205 framework of DDA which is more balanced and equitable to all WTO members.

6th WTO Ministerial Meeting Hongkong Dec.2006.

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