The WTO

Trade Negotiations

• Aims to reduce or eliminate trade barriers through negotiation
• Does this by encouraging countries to draw up trading agreements covering matters like subsidies
• Aims to bring about trade liberalisation and lays down procedures for settling disputes

Implementation and Monitoring

• Employs various councils and committees to administer and monitor the application of the WTO's rules for trade in goods, services and intellectual property rights

Settling Trade Disputes

• Trade disputes are not uncommon
• WTO's procedure for resolving trade disputes is vital for enforcing the rules and making sure that trade flows smoothly
• Countries bring disputes to the WTO is they think their rights under their agreements have not been preserved

Building Membership

• Helps and encourages new members to join up

• It's undemocratic: the WTO rules are wtten by and for corporations. Views of consumers, environmentalists are ignored
• It favours the 'rights' of corporations over those of workers
• It's destroying the environment
• Favours wealth nations over poorer ones
• Causing hardship for poorer nations

Increase in World Trade

• Better transport and communications: goods can be shipped more quickly and cheaply
• Relaxing of trade barriers: 
• Developments of multinationals
• Travel and consumer awareness
• Trade agreements

In Developed Countries

• Loss of trade in manufacturing
• More air travel
• Widening of the development gap

Trade in Developing Countries

• An increase in net migration
• Increased FDI in Africa
• Rise in commodity dependence
• Debt cancellation
• Reduction in barriers