GATT and the agricultural sector

The agricultural sector has to a large extent remained on the fringes of the process of trade liberalisation that has been going on for the last 25 years. The rules of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) cover agricultural trade, but countries have found it expedient both to ask for derogations to protect their own domestic agicultural interests and also to be less rigorous in the enforcement of such rules even when derogations have not been requested.     

GATT’s role in East-West trade

After a phase of stagnation in East-West trade lasting several years, both sides have more recently been at pains to intensify economic relations between East and West, the reasons being both economic and political. What part can the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) play in this regard?     

Can Someone Please Settle This Dispute? Canadian Softwood Lumber and the Dispute Settlement Mechanisms of the NAFTA and the WTO

The long‐running Canada‐US softwood lumber dispute provides a useful backdrop for comparison of the dispute settlement mechanisms of the Canada‐US Free Trade Agreement, the North American Free Trade Agreement, and the dispute settlement mechanisms of the World Trade Organisation because it is the only dispute to have been litigated in all three venues. By looking at a dispute in which the central arguments of the litigants have remained consistent while the venues for litigation have changed, this article aims to evaluate the utility of these mechanisms for resolving some of the world trading system's most difficult disputes and highlights several weaknesses within each that both hamper their effectiveness and suggest avenues for future change.     

GATT in a conceptual vacuum

Getting under way a seventh round of international trade negotiations within the framework of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) has been a long and arduous process.¹ The nub of the problem is the failure of political thought to keep pace with the rapid integration and growing interdependence of the world economy.     

Do WTO members have more liberal trade policy?

This paper uses 68 measures of trade policy and liberalization to ask if membership in the World Trade Organization (WTO) and its predecessor the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) is associated with more liberal trade policy. Almost no measures of trade policy are significantly correlated with GATT/WTO membership. Trade liberalizations, when they occur, usually lag GATT entry by many years, and the GATT/WTO often admits countries that are closed and remain closed for years. The exception to the rule is that WTO members tend to have slightly more freedom as judged by the Heritage Foundation's index.     

Trade in services: its treatment in international forums and the problems ahead

When the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) was concluded in the late 1940s, there was hardly any mention of international transactions in services. At that time, the issue of international trade in services was of minor importance. In addition, attention was initially focused on measures hampering trade at the border. With the principal output of the majority of the sub-sectors of the service industry being “nontangible”, trade impediments relevant for the international exchange of services are of a more subtle nature. These impediments gained importance as the volume of international transactions in this sector increased considerably during the last decade—a development paralleled by the mushrooming of non-tariff barriers in the field of merchandise trade.     

TRADE ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE AND IMPORT COMPETITION: Experience in the U.S. Footwear Industry: 1980-1997

This article analyzes the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program within NAFTA, the U.S.-Israel Free Trade Agreement (FTA), U.S.-Canada-FTA, and the Orderly Market Agreement (OMA) for the footwear industry. It evaluates costs and benefits as well as factors affecting TAA's certification and denial processes following trade liberalization. A three-stage least-squares (3TLS) model correlates the a priori specifications we developed from the literature and evaluates TAA's enhancement of net consumer surplus. The benefits have significant, independent effects on four census regions of the United States engaged in footwear production. A simulation of the results indicates some robustness in the estimates and supports the Department of Labor (DOL) rule-of-thumb statements of job gains due to trade liberalization. The results are supportive of the bipartisan NAFTA agreement. Due to TAA's benefits to displaced workers, positive net benefits have been substantial from the inception of NAFTA, in 1994, to 1997.     

美国参与东亚区域合作对中国的影响研究

在亚太框架下的贸易自由化一直进展缓慢,直到最近,亚太的经济合作才出现实质性的进展。特别是美国不仅与东盟10国签订了贸易和投资框架协议,还与韩国、澳大利亚开始贸易自由协定的谈判,美国对东亚区域合作的参与度越来越高。对于中国而言,美国参与东亚的贸易自由化进程对其会有什么样的影响,是值得密切关注的。文章基于GTAP模型对美国参与东亚区域合作的路径进行模拟,并基于模拟结果分析其对中国的影响。结果表明,中国不参与东亚区域合作是弊大于利,而参与则是利大于弊。中国需要注意的问题:一是积极参与东亚区域合作是最优策略;二是要注意美国的扼制策略,积极加强自由贸易区建设。     

SMEs in services trade — A GATS perspective

Unlike traditional (goods-only) trade agreements, the scope of the General Agreement on Trade in Services extends beyond the treatment of products (services) to cover that of suppliers as well. The trade interests of particular groups of suppliers, including SMEs, can thus be addressed directly under the Agreement. This paper provides an overview of potentially relevant policies and policy disciplines. It also seeks to identify the scope for further initiatives, from fostering compliance with existing transparency obligations to advancing the Agreement’s liberalisation and rule-making mandates from an SME perspective.     

Relative prices and wage inequality: evidence from Mexico

This paper examines the link between relative goods prices and relative wages during two periods of Mexico's trade liberalization. The relative price of skill-intensive goods rose following Mexico's entrance to the General Agreement and Tariffs and Trade (GATT) in 1986, but fell after Mexico entered the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in 1994. This paper adds a band pass filter to two established techniques to compare the relationship between prices and wages. Results from all three approaches are consistent with a positive long-run relationship between relative output prices and relative wages. The band pass filter results suggest that the relevant time frame for the relationship begins after 3-5 years.     

建立中国——东盟自由贸易区的经济效益分析

2004年10月18日至20日,中国与东盟贸易谈判委员会在北京举行会议,就自由贸易区谈判中最重要的内容—货物贸易协议达成一致,并于11月签署了货物贸易协议及争端解决机制协议。这为如期启动中国与东盟自由贸易区建设进程铺平了道路,使研究自由贸易区建成后所带来的经济效益问题的任务迫在眉睫。本文对建立中国-东盟自由贸易区后可预期的贸易效益、投资效益及规模经济效益进行了探讨。     

世界经济三大支柱的比较研究

被誉为世界经济三大支柱的关贸总协定、国际货币基金组织和世界银行，自成立以来，已经历了半个世纪的风风雨雨。它们都对二战后世界经济的复苏和振兴起到了举足轻重的作用。但是，关贸总协定及世界贸易组织发展更为迅猛，并从三大支柱中脱颖而出。展望世界经济发展前景，惟有加强三大支柱的协调与合作。世界经济才能鼎足而立。     

Malaysian Trade Policy and the 2001 WTO Trade Policy Review

The purpose of this paper is two–fold; to examine developments in trade and investment policy regimes in Malaysia following the on–set of the financial crisis, using the Trade Policy Review Malaysia: 2001 of the WTO as a reference point; and to evaluate the Review in terms of the objectives of the WTO Trade Policy Review Mechanism as set out in the Marrakesh Agreement. It is found that, by and large Malaysia has managed to come out of the crisis without compromising on its long–standing commitment to maintaining a relatively open trade and investment policy regime by the regional standards. However, there are some disturbing post–crisis developments, which deserve scrutiny in a future Review. These include increase in the degree of dispersion of tariff rates because of high tariff peaks relating to a few product lines, increased reliance on non–automatic import licensing to regulate imports of a significant number of products which directly compete with domestic production by public sector enterprises, and unexplained delays in meeting commitments under the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS)     

论美国《公平贸易汇率改革法案》的法律缺陷问题——以IMF和WTO为视角

美国众议院2010年9月高票通过了《公平贸易汇率改革法案》,该法案最引人注目的特点在于将汇率政策贸易化,即将"汇率根本性低估"视为"出口补贴"的贸易措施。在国际法框架下,该法案存在如下缺陷:汇率政策贸易化不符合《IMF协定》与《WTO协定》有关管辖权限的分工;美国无权单方面认定它国汇率是否根本性低估;汇率根本性低估不具有SCM协定所规定的"财政资助"与"专向性"特征,因而不构成出口补贴。中国应坚持汇率主权在我的原则,多方化解美国汇率压力,在必要时可提交WTO争端解决机构。     

TRIPS_递增扩张及其在《反假冒贸易协定》中的生长

后TRIPS时代,递增获得了广泛的扩张,并对发展中国家的知识产权保护提出了严峻的挑战。而《反假冒贸易协定》更将知识产权的保护标准提升到一全新高度,进一步彰显了TRIPS_递增的生长趋势,必将对中国等发展中国家产生重大影响。在此背景下,把握TRIPS_递增及其在《反假冒贸易协议》中的特性,探析积极的应对措施乃本文目的所在。     

试析WT0框架下与转基因产品相关的贸易规则--兼论中国转基因产品立法之完善

随着转基因技术的兴起和转基因产品贸易的发展,转基因产品的安全性日益成为人们关注的焦点.WTO框架下与转基因产品直接相关的协议包括和.这两个协议的相关条款在对转基因产品贸易适用过程中存在着一系列法律问题.改进的办法是拓宽WTO规则,纳入消费者优先原则.另外,我国转基因产品立法也存在不足,需根据WTO规则进一步加以完善.     

从议价博弈看中美纺织品贸易协议

中美贸易摩擦由来已久,2005年全球纺织品配额取消后,中国对美国纺织品出口激增,使中美贸易摩擦升级,最终达成中美纺织品贸易协议。本文认为,这种通过政府谈判谋求短期贸易折中的方式只不过是“治标不治本”的应急策略,而中美贸易摩擦产生的根源并没能得到有效抑制,因此纺织品贸易博弈不可“小进则安”,而应从根本上缓解贸易失衡带来的外部压力。第一,企业要改变原有低价竞争策略,提升产品档次,提高产品的附加值。第二,实施走出去战略,借助生产要素的跨国界流动实现生产的国际化,通过多元化发展降低贸易壁垒带来的潜在风险。第三,政府应高度重视和关切我国纺织业的利益。第四,发挥贸易行会作用。     

论WTO法律框架下的跨TRIPS协定交叉报复

贸易报复是wT（）争端解决机制赋予当事方的最后救济手段。如今。跨TRIPS协定交叉报复逐渐成为受到弱小经济实体欢迎的新方式。实践也证明这种报复形式的确有其优越之处，既能对发达工业化国家败诉方产生有效的威慑作用，刺激其及时执行DSB裁决，还可改善报复实施国家的社会福利水平。不过和所有新兴事物一样。跨TRIPS协定交叉报复也存在风险，报复实施方需要精心谋划对策，才能确保此种报复方式之优越性得以充分发挥。     

Academic freedom for all in higher education: The role of the general agreement on trade in services

In an era of the knowledge society, one would expect to encounter a sense of urgency in assuring the free flow of higher education across national borders. Yet, to the contrary, there is a substantial reluctance to the integration of this sector into the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS).This contribution postulates that academia is missing out on a major opportunity by setting itself apart in trade negotiations. Though higher education has a higher calling, it will not be able to compete successfully for necessary resources unless it adapts to the rules of the World Trade Organization.     

A Canadian perspective on NAFTA

Although most analysis of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has focused on the bilateral relationship between Mexico and the United States this article concentrates on the larger trading and investment linkages of Canada and the United States. From a Canadian perspective the NAFTA is an extension of (and improvement upon) the Canada–U.S. Free Trade Agreement (FTA) of 1989. The FTA introduced new dispute settlement mechanisms that Canada views as essential to partially offset U.S. administered protection. The new rules-based system of the FTA is also the basis for the NAFTA, and it has been extended from the trade law regime to cover foreign investment disputes. All three parties in NAFTA will benefit from a rules-based system rather than the power-based system that permits U.S. producer interests to exploit the size asymmetries between the large triad market of the United States and the smaller open trading economies of Mexico and Canada. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.