Specific Aspects of the WTO Negotiation Process: Problems and Solutions

Abstract

This article discusses the reasons for the multiple failures in the negotiations at WTO ministerial conferences. It identifies those aspects that need to be reviewed and changed in order to facilitate such negotiations. In particular, the organizational aspects are analyzed, including strategies for achieving a stronger consensus before the conferences, liberalizing the decision-making process at the conferences and ensuring the participation of developing countries. The feasibility of a package review at negotiations is also examined. The article argues that new issues on which the likelihood of consensus is low must be excluded from the WTO agenda because they not only overload the agenda but hinder the approval of any decisions. It also provides recommendations on negotiation tactics for participating countries.

Keywords

• WTO
• consensus
• Singapore Issues
• WTO organizational reform
• agenda overload
• Development Round
• the Fifth WTO Ministerial Conference
• multilateral trade system
• regionalism
• labor standards