A lively debate is taking place over the impact of free trade agreements (FTAs) on East Asia's business between those who view the agreements as a harmful Asian "noodle bowl"—i.e., overlapping regional trade agreements—of trade deals and others who see net beneficial effects in...

This paper examines the changing relationship between trade policy, production networks, and economic growth in Asia. It traces East Asia’s rise to the coveted “Factory Asia” league with rapid growth over several decades through trade policy anchored on outward-oriented industrialization...

The introduction of the Chairman to the Draft presented for discussion based upon the 2006 text and to move the negotiations forward by proposing specific outcomes, not rehearsing everyone’s position, and challenging all to compromise.

There are various conceivable links between services liberalization and poverty reduction, including the efficiency effects associated with increased competition in intermediate (infrastructural) services, income transfers generated by workers moving abroad, or the mobilization of private...

India’s negotiating position on services has undergone a paradigm shift since the Uruguay Round. From being a leading opponent of the GATS in the early stages, India has now emerged as one of the champions of services trade liberalisation under GATS. This paper covers the key issues under...

The Cotonou Agreement introduces new fundamental principles with respect to trade between the European Union and African, Caribbean and Pacific countries relative to the Lomé Convention: in particular non-reciprocal preferential market access for ACP economies will only last until 1 January...

As developing countries including those from South Asia, rally forces and evaluate options ahead of the Hong Kong Ministerial meeting in December 2005, Non Agricultural Market Access (NAMA) assumes importance as one of the most critical issues that will be up for negotiations. A longer...

Submitted to Trade Negotiations Committee in response to request of members for language of full modalities on non-agricultural market access (NAMA) negotiations. As a result of the failure of the negotiating group to arrive at consensus, this interim report.

The chair of the Non Agricultural Market Access (NAMA) negotiating group, ambassador Don Stephenson, released on 19 May 2008 the revised draft negotiating text to focus further discussions towards modalities in this area of the DDA. The new text is the product of his bilateral and plurilateral...

The next major boost to world trade is expected to come from greater trade in services. And this is possible only when greater liberalization in services is achieved which in turn depends on the progress that WTO members make in terms of higher commitments in different rounds of WTO...