Small States and the Multilateral Trading System

Abstract

Trade has generally been acknowledged as an important enabler of growth and development, and the integration of national economies into the multilateral trading system (MTS) can have an important role in fostering trade-led economic growth and development.Small states, however, face acute challenges in their participation in the MTS because of a lack of economy of scale, limited natural resources, vulnerability and long distances to key export markets. This disadvantaged position of small states has long been recognised by the Commonwealth Secretariat, which initiated a discourse on the challenges that they face, the concerns that they have and how to address them. The Commonwealth Secretariat has also been helping small states to raise these issues with the World Trade Organization (WTO), and this publication is another example of the proactive and valuable work conducted by the Commonwealth Secretariat. This compilation comprises an excellent selection of articles, which will further help small states to enhance and enrich their participation in the MTS.The publication presents a comprehensive understanding of the establishment of a Work Programme on Small Economies as part of the WTO's Doha Development Agenda (DDA), which was supported by the Commonwealth Secretariat. The work programme has the objective of framing 'responses to the trade-related issues identified for the fuller integration of small, vulnerable economies into the multilateral trading system without creating a sub-category of WTO Member' . The work programme has become the vehicle under which small states or small, vulnerable economies (SVEs), as they are categorised by the WTO, have successfully introduced their concerns in the negotiations. Through their perseverance, SVEs have been able to overcome initial difficulties related to their inherent characteristics. As a result, today, their issues are reflected, in one form or another, in almost all areas of the negotiations. This book offers valuable insights into the systemic issues that would need to be taken into account by the SVEs in order to increase their participation in the WTO. Of particular worth are the detailed options and proposals that have been put forward for the consideration of the SVEs to improve their participation under each of the main aspects of work of the WTO. This includes very sound suggestions under the main pillars of the work of the organisation, that is, negotiation, dispute settlement, agreement administration, research and technical assistance. vi