Vor dem Reformprozeß hatte sich die Sowjetunion weitgehend vom Weltmarkt abgekoppelt. Gleichzeitig gab es ein eng geknüpftes Netz interregionaler Lieferverflechtungen über die Grenzen der Republiken hinweg. Mit der politischen Desintegration traten Eigeninteressen der ehemaligen...

The paper analyses sectoral patterns of intra-Asian trade for selected Asian countries as well as for sub-regions within Asia. Beyond a general trend towards manufactures, it reveals remarkable differences in specialisation profiles between lagging South Asian countries still concentrating on...

The paper discusses the costs and benefits to be expected by least-developed and low-income ("vulnerable") economies if they accede to the WTO, the impact of current debates about WTO reform on vulnerable economies, and measures to make it easier for vulnerable economies to accede to and...

For many applicant countries, accession to the WTO has been, and still is, a frustratingly slow process. In this paper, we discuss the substantial, contentious issues that are slowing down progress in accession negotiations. We contrast these with the benefits of WTO accession not only to the...