The Challenges of Trade Policymaking: Analysis, Communication and Representation

Abstract

The purpose of this series is to analyse policy issues and to stimulate discussions in the area of international trade and development. This series includes studies by UNCTAD sta and distinguished researchers from academia. In keeping with the objective of the series, authors are encouraged to express their own views, which are not necessarily in line with those of the United Nations Secretariat.The designations employed and the presentation of the material do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the United Nations Secretariat concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.Material in this publication may be freely quoted or reprinted, but acknowledgement is requested, together with a reference to the document number. It would be appreciated if a copy of the publication containing the quotation or reprint could be sent to the UNCTAD secretariat: Chief Trade Analysis Branch Division on International Trade in Goods and Services, and Commodities United Nations Conference on Trade and Development Palais des Nations CH-1211 Geneva Series editor Victor Ognivtsev O cer-in-charge, Trade Analysis Branch

Patterns of Representation in WTO Committee Chairs, 1995–2012

“…31 The authors ran a series of regressions on the determinants of the size of a country's WTO mission in Geneva, reported in the Web Appendix, Tables D and E. Results show that average mission size over the sample period increases by 0.6 to one person for every 1 percentage point increase in global export share, a result consistent with VanGrasstek (2008). Panel regressions show that growing export share and additional years of WTO membership within this period tend to increase mission size.…”

“…This mandate presented the GC with the need to strike a delicate balance between overall WTO member representation and recognition of traditional experience and background attributes in considering candidates for chair positions. The human capital model, in contrast, predicts that small or non-existent delegations of most resource-poor developing countries will prevent them from achieving adequate representation to pursue their trade interests (see Michalopoulos, 2001;VanGrasstek, 2008;Laker, 2013). At the same time, some developing country observers acknowledge that the nationality of a committee chair, in itself, is not generally decisive in whether developing or developed country interests will prevail in committee negotiations.…”

“…Estimating the number of dedicated WTO staff is difficult in these cases. VanGrasstek (2008) suggests estimating that one-third of a consolidated Geneva mission's staff are responsible for WTO affairs. The authors gratefully acknowledge data provided by Elsig (2010), who compiled year-by-year estimates of Geneva WTO missions, incorporating a similar rule.…”

Policies of Sustainable Economic Zones under the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR): A Case Study on Suez Canal Area Using Fuzzy Geographic Information System (Fuzzy GIS)

“…Furthermore, Egypt's regulations and legislation include a series of incentives relating to Investment Law No. 72 of 2017 (VanGrasstek, 2008). The free distribution of industrial zones in Upper Egypt is among the most essential incentives.…”