CHALLENGES FOR THE FUTURE

Abstract

INTRODUCTION The challenges for the WTO in the years to come are multiple and daunting. First, there are the many challenges of further liberalisation of international trade. Most of these challenges are addressed in the ongoing Doha Development Round negotiations and have been discussed in this book. They include: the liberalisation of trade in agricultural products, in the form of increased market access for agricultural products and the reduction or elimination of agricultural export subsidies and domestic support measures; market access for non-agricultural products, including the further reduction or, where appropriate and possible, the elimination of customs duties as well as non-tariff barriers to trade; the further liberalisation of trade in services, including mode 4 supply of services, which entails the free movement of natural persons; the clarification and improvement of the WTO rules on dumping and subsidised trade; the clarification and improvement of the WTO rules and procedures applying to regional trade agreements; the relationship between trade and the protection of the environment, and in particular the relationship between existing WTO rules and specific trade obligations set out in multilateral environmental agreements; and the protection of intellectual property rights, and in particular the protection of geographical indications. Negotiations on all these issues are currently ongoing. Secondly, the challenges facing the WTO in the years to come include the institutional and procedural problems the WTO currently struggles with. To many, the WTO's negotiation and decision-making processes lack efficiency, legitimacy and transparency.