Book Chapter, IDRC, February 2010
This chapter endeavours to contribute to the discussion by making three points. The first is that the mega debates about trade and development have produced limited success. It would be more constructive to address smaller or more focused sets of problems. The WTO could, for example, allow the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs), currently being negotiated between the European Union and the ACP countries, to include a development-promoting dimension by applying less strict rules regarding WTO compatibility of regional trade arrangements. The EPAs have to comply with Article XXIV GATT and Article V GATS. This challenges the WTO to link development aims to regional integration issues. Will the WTO allow these free trade agreements (which will not be based on the Enabling Clause enough flexibility when they have to comply with the rules for regional trade arrangements?
This Chapter is part of the Book entitled: REDESIGNING THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION FOR THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY.(Available Online in HTML format)
Author(s): Gerhard Erasmus