Trade monitoring
World policy development in 1999
Notwithstanding the outcome of the WTO’s Third Ministerial Conference in Seattle, the state of the world trading environment remained generally sound in 1999. There have been no major trade policy reversals during the year, and there is no evidence of a resort to protectionist policies. On the contrary, a number of countries have undertaken concrete measures to further liberalize their economic and trade regimes. Autonomous and regional initiatives during the year have provided additional impetus to trade liberalization and further integration of the world economy. At the multilateral level, much of the effort focused on preparations for the Third Ministerial Conference, including the possible launching of a new round of multilateral trade negotiations. Although the latter did not materialize, much progress was achieved in narrowing the gaps in some major areas. At the same time, the WTO has proceeded with its core agenda of trade liberalization.
Économie et économie politique de la coopération commerciale internationale
L’essor et le déclin du libre-échange au XIXe siècle et leurs conséquences économiques et politiques ont toujours intrigué les historiens et les économistes. Pendant la période difficile qui a suivi la Première Guerre mondiale, alors qu’il fallait rétablir les relations commerciales internationales, la seconde moitié du XIXe siècle, marquée par le libre-échange entre les pays européens était considérée comme un âge d’or. En effet, le développement économique général, stimulé par l’industrialisation et le progrès technique, s’accompagnait alors d’une expansion du commerce favorisée par l’existence de nombreux traités commerciaux bilatéraux, dont le premier était le traité anglo-français (Cobden-Chevalier) de 1860, suivi par toute une série de traités entre pays européens. Les réductions tarifaires réciproques convenues bilatéralement et l’application inconditionnelle de la clause de la nation la plus favorisée (NPF) prévue dans ces traités ont conduit à des niveaux tarifaires historiquement bas, en particulier pour les produits agricoles. Le commerce entre pays européens est resté pratiquement sans entraves pendant près de deux décennies, jusqu’en 1879, après quoi les échanges se sont progressivement détériorés pour disparaître avec la Première Guerre mondiale.
Overview
Last year’s Annual Report was written when the Asian financial crisis was only a year old. There was still considerable concern then about the risk of contagion and deep recession. A year later, the situation is more healthy, although only the complacent would contest the need for policy vigilance. Important challenges remain, and recovery is far from complete. Global GDP growth decelerated sharply from the record expansion in the previous year while trade volume growth was more than halved. For parts of Asia a contraction in output growth also meant that import volume growth turned negative. The economic performance of other regions helped to maintain global output growth at around 2.0 per cent and world export growth at about 4 per cent in 1998. The United States continued a remarkable period of expansion, contributing significantly to the global figure. The European Union grew less, but above the global average.
Trade facilitation in the Arab region
This chapter aims to assess the progress of trade facilitation in the Arab region, and subsequently tests the effect of trade facilitation on bilateral trade flows within this region. The findings support the fact that the performance of Arab countries’ logistics systems in general is still weak and needs to be improved, as indicated by the World Bank’s Logistics Performance Index (LPI). Vast divergence and discrepancies among Arab countries can be observed because of differences in income levels and geopolitical conditions. Hence, while some Arab countries try to develop logistics activities to take advantage of opportunities, seeking to establish regional logistics platforms, others are not only ranked among the lowest on the overall index, but are also near the bottom of the list for the different components of the LPI. The estimations presented here suggest that trade facilitation has positive impacts on intra-regional trade but that its scope is rather limited. Indeed, an improvement in trade facilitation (LPI score) of the exporting country by 1 per cent increases trade flows by 0.7 per cent. This impact could be higher and reach more than 2 per cent when sensitivity analysis is included. An improvement in trade facilitation (LPI score) of the importing country by 1 per cent boosts trade flows by 0.66 per cent. The results of this chapter show that there are slight gains in trade to be made from improving trade facilitation in Arab countries. Despite the fact that the overall LPI score is significant for both exporting and importing countries, the magnitude of that significance is relatively small compared with previous research findings regarding the same measures in other regions. However, the study suggests that trade facilitation could have a greater impact on trade among Arab countries and with other regions and underlines the importance of developing transport and physical infrastructure to enhance regional integration and trade cooperation.
Examens des politiques commerciales
En 2013, l’Organe d’examen des politiques commerciales a procédé à la cinquième évaluation du Mécanisme d’examen des politiques commerciales et a tenu 15 réunions pour examiner les politiques et pratiques commerciales de 20 Membres. Examens des politiques commerciales www.wto.org/mepc_f
Introduction
The Trade Policy Review Mechanism (TPRM) was first established on a trial basis by the GATT contracting parties in April 1989. The Mechanism became a permanent feature of the World Trade Organization under the Marrakesh Agreement which established the WTO in January 1995.
Sans titre
En 2013, l’Organe d’appel a distribué des rapports dans deux différends, qui concernaient des mesures du Canada dans le secteur de l’énergie renouvelable. Plus tôt dans l’année, le Canada avait fait appel des constatations figurant dans les rapports des Groupes spéciaux sur les deux affaires. Une procédure d’arbitrage concernant le délai raisonnable pour la mise en oeuvre des recommandations et décisions de l’Organe de règlement des différends a été menée en 2013. Deux membres de l’Organe d’appel, M. Ricardo Ramírez-Hernández et M. Peter Van den Bossche, ont achevé leur premier mandat et ont été reconduits dans leurs fonctions. M. David Unterhalter a achevé son second et dernier mandat. Un nouveau membre de l’Organe d’appel sera désigné en 2014.
Dispute settlement activity in 2012
There was a sharp increase in dispute settlement activity in 2012 with both developed and developing countries active in bringing disputes to the WTO for resolution. Some WTO members, including Russia, participated for the first time. Disputes covered a wide variety of areas, including some that are less often adjudicated, such as issues under the General Agreement on Trade in Services. The European Union and Latin American countries formally settled the long-running banana disputes. Efforts to achieve efficiencies in dispute settlement processes continued. Finally, the legal affairs division celebrated an important anniversary.