Special and differential treatment in the WTO: Implications for the agreement specific proposals on LDCs

Kazi Mahmudur Rahman
Senior Research Associate
 

Special and differential treatment (S&D) provisions in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) has emerged as a recognition of the specific problems that developing and Least Developed Countries (LDCs) face in view of the difficulties these countries face in integrating with the global markets of goods, services, capital and labour. Since the Doha declaration, least developed countries and developing countries have submitted 88 Agreement-specific proposals in the area of S&D treatment. Chairman of the Committee (8 April 2003 (JOB(03)/68) ) on Trade and Development categorised these proposals in to three groups (Category I, II and III). The YSSS presentation on “Special And Differential Treatment In The WTO: Implications For The Agreement Specific Proposals On LDCs” analysed the proposed changes of 12 S&D clause of Category I, on which members were agreed upon in principle and analysed whether these proposals have improved the particular S&D measures (analysing with the light of the members submission) in terms of making these “more precise, effective and operational”. The study would thus envisage allowing LDC governments to have an assessment as regards the implications of the proposed changes and will help LDC governments to identify interventions to take advantage of the aforesaid changes.