The History and Future of the World Trade Organization


Book Description

The History and Future of the World Trade Organization is a comprehensive account of the economic, political and legal issues surrounding the creation of the WTO and its evolution. Fully illustrated with colour and black-and-white photos dating back to the early days of trade negotiations, the publication reviews the WTO's achievements as well as the challenges faced by the organisation, and identifies the key questions that WTO members need to address in the future. The book describes the intellectual roots of the trading system, membership of the WTO and the growth of the Geneva trade community, trade negotiations and the development of coalitions among the membership, and the WTO's relations with other international organisations and civil society. Also covered are the organisation's robust dispute settlement rules, the launch and evolution of the Doha Round, the rise of regional trade agreements, and the leadership and management of the WTO.




Economic Diplomacy


Book Description

Singapore, a small country with limited resources, has nevertheless played a significant role in regional and global trade negotiations. Its negotiators possess a wealth of knowledge and experiences and yet few have told their story. This book is a collection of sixteen essays by authors who have been closely involved in trade negotiations including GATT/WTO and bilateral free trade agreements. They share their experiences in such negotiations, how they promoted national interests and advanced the global trade agenda. It will appeal to readers who are interested in how international economic diplomacy is conducted, and Singapore's role and perspective as an open trading nation.




WTO Accessions and Trade Multilateralism


Book Description

An examination of how WTO accession negotiations have expanded the reach of the multilateral trading system both geographically and conceptually.




The Making of the TRIPS Agreement


Book Description

A comprehensive account of the establishment of the World Trade Organization, focusing on those who shaped its creation as well as those who have influenced its evolution. The book examines trade negotiations, the WTO's dispute settlement role, the presence of coalitions and groupings within the WTO, the process of joining the organization and many other topics, including what lies ahead for the organization.




Regulation of Energy in International Trade Law


Book Description

Starting from the premise that a multilateral legal framework is the surest way to achieve predictability and transparency under conditions of increasing reliance on internationally traded energy, the essays gathered in this book treat the many complex interlocking issues raised by examining that desideratum in the light of current reality. Concentrating on the application of WTO agreements to energy trade – as well as energy-related issues addressed in the current WTO negotiations – the authors offer in-depth discussion and analysis of such issues as the following: the effectiveness of existing WTO agreements in addressing issues pertinent to energy trade how restrictive practices of energy endowed countries can be tackled under existing international trade rules; existing frameworks for investment in highly capital-intensive energy infrastructure projects;and conditions for access to pipelines and transmission grids; regulation of energy services; bioenergy development and trade; energy issues addressed in the WTO accession negotiations of energy endowed countries; international instruments of resolution of energy-related disputes.




The WTO in the Twenty-first Century


Book Description

Three significant issues will determine the future of the WTO: dispute settlement, negotiations and regional integration. Dispute settlement is widely regarded as one of the major successes of the WTO in its first ten years. Concluding the Doha round negotiations is one of its main challenges. Regional integration is now at the frontline of debate as regional agreements proliferate and policy-makers and academics come to grips with their impacts on the multilateral trading system. These issues, and the interplay between them, are examined by leading scholars and practitioners in the field of international trade law from North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific. In addition, special sections focus on the Asia-Pacific region, its participation in WTO dispute settlement and negotiations, and recent trends towards greater regional integration.




Redesigning the World Trade Organization for the Twenty-first Century


Book Description

Two high-level commissions—the Sutherland report in 2004, and the Warwick Commission report in 2007—addressed the future of the World Trade Organization and made proposals for incremental reform. This book goes further; it explains why institutional reform of the WTO is needed at this critical juncture in world history and provides innovative, practical proposals for modernizing the WTO to enable it to respond to the challenges of the twenty-first century. Contributors focus on five critical areas: transparency, decision- and rule-making procedures, internal management structures, participation by non-governmental organizations and civil society, and relationships with regional trade agreements. Co-published with the International Development Research Centre and the Centre for International Governance Innovation







Trade Costs and Inclusive Growth


Book Description

Trade costs and inclusive growth looks at how implementation of the WTO's Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) can help to reduce trade costs and promote growth. The publication rings together contributions from ten participants in the WTO Chairs Programme, which supports trade-related activities by academic institutions in developing countries. The book looks into how the Aid for Trade initiative can assist with implementing the TFA, the importance of mainstreaming trade into national development strategies, and the potential impact of the TFA in various regions.