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home > the wto > what is the wto? > 10 misunderstandings > 7. small left out? |
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THE
10 MISUNDERSTANDINGS:
7. small left
out? 7. Small countries are NOT powerless in the WTO Small countries would be weaker without the WTO. The WTO increases their bargaining power. |
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THE 10 MISUNDERSTANDINGS 1. WTO dictates? 2. Blindly for trade? 3. Ignores development? 4. Anti-green? 5. Anti-health? 6. Wrecks jobs? 7. Small left out? 8. Tool of lobbies? 9. Weak forced to join? 10. Undemocratic? See
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In recent years, developing countries have become considerably more active in WTO negotiations, submitting an unprecedented number of proposals in the agriculture talks, and working actively on the ministerial declarations and decisions issued in Doha, Qatar, in November 2001. They expressed satisfaction with the process leading to the Doha declarations. All of this bears testimony to their confidence in the system. At the same time, the present rules are the result of multilateral negotiations (i.e. negotiations involving all members of GATT, the WTO’s predecessor). The most recent completed negotiation, the Uruguay Round (1986–94), was only possible because developed countries agreed to reform trade in textiles and agriculture — both issues were important for developing countries.In short, In the WTO trading system, everyone has to follow the same rules. As a result, in the WTO’s dispute settlement procedure, developing countries have successfully challenged some actions taken by developed countries. Without the WTO, these smaller countries would have been powerless to act against their more powerful trading partners. |
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