The formulation of appropriate criteria for origin determination is crucial for any country or regional trading block interested in ensuring growth and economic. Perhaps this is the single most important reason that explains the aggressive negotiating stance adopted by various member countries...

the objective of this report is to analyse the existing and potential links that can be established between current Geographical Indications (GIs) and regional sustainable development. A case study approach, centred on European case studies, has been carried out. The European Union appears as a...

This paper argues that IBSA( India, Brazil, South Africa) as opposed to IBSAC (with China) is a far more coherent group when it comes to WTO negotiations as its interests coincide given the agenda that seeks to free trade asymmetrically with the developed countries having to concede more on...

This article traces the history of negotiations in the WTO on Trade Facilitation, the only Singapore issue that has survived beyond Doha and Cancun. Last ten years of sustained work by the negotiators in the WTO has considerably narrowed down the areas for final agreement. The author, a key...

The status of public services is one of the most hotly debated issues surrounding the GATS. There are two approaches to distinguish such services from any other services: an institutional approach that focuses on the legal and institutional conditions governing supply (e.g. ownership status,...

The doctrine of precedent is getting established in WTO and seems to be there to stay however much it is argued otherwise. Neglect of this fact means that we are overlooking some of the problematic developments in WTO jurisprudence. This is quite evident from the integration of the requirement...

This paper gives insights into the possible trade creating effects of service trade liberalization via Mode 4. In particular we expect that temporary movements of persons, like permanent movements, have the potential to reduce transaction costs for merchandise trade between home and host...

The Draft document circulated at the beginning of the Sixth WTO Ministerial Conference held in Hong Kong, China, 13–18 December 2005.

This paper contends that the general understanding that precedent system does not apply in the WTO Dispute Settlement Mechanism. The author argues that the drafters or the negotiators always wanted to have a judicial system resembling those that apply in the common law countries with the hope...

The report intends to provide general and specific recommendations to both provider and recipient nations that they should take into consideration while undertaking any TA programme in a recipient nation. The report critically evaluates the needs, concerns and experiences of recipient...