Page 161 - DMGT545_INTERNATIONAL_BUSINESS

International Business

notes countries, and that the report of panels shall “explicitly indicate” how account has been taken
of the “differential and more favorable treatment” provisions of the agreement under which the
complaint is brought. In order to assist developing countries overcome their limited expertise in
WTO law and assist them in the management of complex trade disputes, an Advisory Centre on
WTO Law was established in 2001.
The General Council also meets as the Trade Policy Review Body and Dispute Settlement Body.
The negotiations mandated by the Doha Declaration take place in the Trade Negotiations
Committee and its subsidiaries. This now includes the negotiations on agriculture and services
begun in early 2000. The TNC operates under the authority of the General Council.
Each year new chairpersons for the major WTO bodies are approved by the General Council.

self assessment

Fill in the blanks:
6. At the ................. WTO member governments agreed to launch new negotiations.
7. A new working group was set up on the last day of the ................. to discuss proposals for
creating a labour standards working group within the WTO or a body operated jointly by
a number of international organisation.

8. The WTO operates on a ................. system.
9. The general council also meets as the ................. and ................. .
10. Each year new chairpersons for the major WTO bodies are approved by the ................. .

8.1.4 accession and membership

The process of becoming a WTO member is unique to each applicant country, and the terms of
accession are dependent upon the country’s stage of economic development and current trade
regime. The process takes about five years, on average, but it can last more if the country is less
than fully committed to the process or if political issues interfere. As is typical of WTO procedures,
an offer of accession is only given once consensus is reached among interested parties.

accession Process

Status of WTO negotiations:
1. Members (including dual-representation with the European Communities);
2. Draft Working Party Report or Factual Summary adopted;

3. Goods and/or Services offers submitted;
4. Memorandum on Foreign Trade Regime submitted;
5. Observer, negotiations to start later or no Memorandum on FTR submitted;
6. Frozen procedures or no negotiations in the last 3 years; and

7. No official interaction with the WTO.
A country wishing to accede to the WTO submits an application to the General Council, and has
to describe all aspects of its trade and economic policies that have a bearing on WTO agreements.
The application is submitted to the WTO in a memorandum which is examined by a working
party open to all interested WTO Members. After all necessary background information has been
acquired, the working party focuses on issues of discrepancy between the WTO rules and the

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