Description
During
2003 and 2004 ICTSD has been actively engaged in discussions on Special
and Differential Treatment (S&DT) at the WTO, working on devising
innovative ways to optimize the application of S&DT so as to address
the concerns of developing countries. As part of ICTSD's ongoing work
on S&DT, the Centre has been developing - in interaction with delegates
and experts from Member countries - a Situational Approach (SA) as a
possible way out to the current impasse in the Doha-mandated negotiations
on S&DT. This workshop aimed at stimulating discussion in identifying
options for the meaningful improvements in S&DT optimizing access
to S&DT for developing based on diverse development situations and
on a transparent set of rules, with enhanced enforceability predictability
of outcomes and appropriate space for discretion.
There
has been a clear trend in S&DT discussions at the WTO where a group
of developed countries has been seeking to limit or exclude some developing
countries from the benefits of S&DT, arguing that these countries
have reached a level of development that does not require special treatment
from multilateral trade rules. The counter argument is that all developing
countries have a all developing countries face a wide range of development
challenges that warrant recourse to a diversity of S&DT options,
regardless of the fact that some countries may have specific sectors
or regions that have reached a medium to high income level or international
competitiveness.
The
document entitled "A Situational Approach to Special and Differential
Treatment in the WTO: An Exploratory Exercise", demonstrates that
the SA attempts to maximize the benefits that all developing countries
may obtain from S&DT, by attending to different development situations
that they may face. The proposed approach addresses the development
situations by first recognizing the policy instruments needed to tackle
the development challenges posed in a particular situation, and then
identifying the specific S&DT in WTO agreements that would enable
developing countries to effectively apply the instruments. In this sense,
the SA could provide a practical solution that can effectively address
the concerns of Member countries of the WTO and progress within the
Doha mandate of strengthening S&DT provisions and making them more
precise, effective and operational.
