Negotiations and Implications of the Trade Facilitation Agreement in the WTO

摘要

It is true that the Facilitation Agreement represents only a part of the DDA, but it is an important package, which will give a considerable boost to the economy and improve the quality of life for millions of people around the world, particularly among the poorest populations and in countries with a stagnant economy and high unemployment. The rules on special and differential treatment reflected in the Agreement allow each member, with the exception of Developed Countries, to establish an independent timeline for each provision of the Agreement. This innovative formula provides a new avenue to be explored for future negotiations between countries with different levels of development relying on the tangible outcomes of Bali's multilateral negotiations.