The Gatt Uruguay Round was finally brought to a conclusion in April following long-drawn-out negotiations. What changes are contained in the new agreements? How should we rate these changes? How important will the future World Trade Organization (WTO) be?

Global economic development in the past decades has been characterized by a rapidly progressing intensification in world trade and international division of labor. In recent decades, as a result of the expansive development of international merchandise trade, cargo shipping has been one of the...