What Would a Development-Friendly WTO Architecture Really Look Like?

Author/Editor:

Arvind Subramanian ; Aaditya Mattoo

Publication Date:

August 20, 2003

Electronic Access:

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Disclaimer: This Working Paper should not be reported as representing the views of the IMF.The views expressed in this Working Paper are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent those of the IMF or IMF policy. Working Papers describe research in progress by the author(s) and are published to elicit comments and to further debate

Summary:

This paper elaborates on a number of key principles that need to underpin a coherent and development-friendly architecture for the WTO. The key principles include enlarging the scope of WTO bargaining to include labor flows as well as capital flows; creating a structure that would provide a balance between furthering liberalization and providing some discretion or policy space to accommodate the inevitable political constraints; and minimizing the extent of regulatory harmonization. These principles, while applicable to all countries, may have less immediate relevance in addressing the problems of the least developed countries.

Series:

Working Paper No. 2003/153

Subject:

English

Publication Date:

August 20, 2003

ISBN/ISSN:

9781451857177/1018-5941

Stock No:

WPIEA1532003

Pages:

21

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