Compliance Studies by Issue Area:
International Trade
- INTEND TO STEP UP WORK with developing countries and multilateral institutions to improve developing country capacity to exercise their rights and meet obligations in global trading system so as to ensure derivation of full benefit of liberalized trade and then contribute to global economic growth.
SCORE OF 6.5/10
- UNDERSCORE COMMITMENT to sustainable development... agree that environmental standards should be taken fully into account in upcoming round of WTO negotiations, include clarification of relationship between both multilateral environment agreements and key environmental principles, and WTO rules.
SCORE OF 5.5/10
- RENEWED COMMITMENT to strongly support the WTO and commitment to open trade and investment environment. - call on all nations to resist protectionist pressures and encourage non-WTO members to join.
SCORE OF 3/10
- PLEDGE TO work for successful WTO ministerial meeting, seek more effective way in WTO for addressing trade and environment relationship, promote sustainable development and social and economic welfare world wide.
SCORE OF 6.5/10
- ENCOURAGE all members to make proposals in areas where developing countries can gain.
SCORE OF 7/10
- REAFFIRM BIRMINGHAM COMMITMENT to least developed countries on improved market access.
SCORE OF 2/10
- URGE greater cooperation and policy coherence among international, fincancial, economic, labour and environmental organizations.
SCORE OF 4.5/10
- MUST BE DEALT WITH consequences of development of biotech. in all fora.
SCORE OF 7/10
- COMMITMENT TO science-based, rule-based approach to these issues.
SCORE OF 2/10
From 33rd quadrilateral trade minister's meeting -- some specific ones
- WE AGREED THAT the forthcoming negotiations should cover all service sectors, including those of interest to developing countries.
SCORE OF 4.5/10
- THE QUAD REAFFIRMED THE COMMITMENTS on agriculture that they undertook at the conclusion of the Uruguay round.
SCORE OF 2/10
- WE AGREED that the next round of negotiations should include negotiations regarding non-agricultural tariffs and non-tariff barriers including those of interest to developing countries.
SCORE OF 7.5/10
- WE AGREED that work on investment should proceed on a progressive basis, including the development of objectives toward negotiations of WTO rules on investment, as appropriate, as part of a forward workplan.
SCORE OF 6.5/10
- WE REAFFIRMED OUT COMMITMENTS in the may 1998 ministerial declaration that established a comprehensive work program to examine trade-related issues relating to global electronic commerce and that continued the current practice of not imposing custom duties on electronic transmissions.
SCORE OF 2/10
Using The First Commitment On The List:
CANADA: SCORE OF 0
- Canada manages to score a 0 because of its involvement in multilateral for a which includes developing countries, specifically in Latin America through its involvement in the OAS and such as hosting the FTAA ministerial. Further, Canada's participation in the leadership meeting of the "Third Way" indicates maintaining commitment to seeking a way to bring developing countries into the international fold.
- Some detracting points: The "Quad" (made up of the U.S., Japan,
Canada and the EU) has been criticized by Lesser Developed Countries for their apparently minor trade concessions and efforts to change the trading situation.
FRANCE: SCORE OF 0
- P.M Jospin calls for special meeting of the WTO for greater Transparency, efficiency and openness to LDCs. As France is taking the head of the EU for 2000, plan on taking a leading role in this regard.
- French Minister Huwart was in Malaysia (later Thailand and Singapore) seeking greater trade with and greater involvement of these countries in WTO reform (i.e. labour standards, and making globalization take an acceptable form for them)
- Also pledges to remain committed to its developing trade partners in Caribbean over banana spat despite protests by Central American countries and American multinational enterprises.
- See also its involvement through the EU.
GERMANY: SCORE OF -1
- no real individual effort, outside of EU, except for participation in "Third Way" leaders meeting.
- See EU involvement
ITALY: SCORE OF -1
- same as above
- See EU involvement
UK: SCORE OF -1
- same as above
- see EU involvement
EUROPEAN UNION IN GENERAL: 0
- in general the EU was to preoccupied with WTO disputes between it and the U.S. to truly offer creative solutions or methods of implementation of this commitment.
- However, Ecuador did receive aid from the EUand its win in the WTO dispute against the EU was upheld gracefully by the Europeans
- Also, Pascal Lamy was seeking to push a proposal for a WTO round involving LDCs and WTO transparency (though how far this went is uncertain here).
- Consider also the criticism by LDCs in regard to Quad trade dealings described above.
JAPAN: SCORE OF +1
- A good effort by Japan in putting forth a widely accepted proposal in APEC forum for confidence building in order to launch a new WTO round of talks. Includes increased access for products from less developed countries and helping member economies build infrastructure to implement WTO agenda.
- Supported Jospin's statement in January on WTO reforms.
- However, as member of Quad criticized for lack of progressive offer in trade barrier removal and dealings with LDCs in trade.
UNITED STATES: SCORE OF 0
- China's permanent normal trade relations rights extended by U.S. until it joins the WTO (in House and proceeding to Senate).
- Also, Vietnam and Belarus given same trading rights
- Publicly encouraging Russia to join WTO
- Overall these actions are bringing some more developing countries and an industrialized country (Russia) in the WTO fold, in a way partially fulfilling the commitment.
- Also, has allowed for cheaper AIDS drugs to be shipped to Africa, Asia and Russia through parallel importing and compulsory licensing addressing a specific development trade issue.
- However, much of time with WTO agenda has been disputes with EU
- Received criticism from LDCs as part of Quad on its maintaining stiff barriers to some LDC products
- No fast-track authority for Latin American dealings in trade which would help broaden trade through the FTAA
- And ASEAN has criticized U.S. trade practices May 25.
RUSSIA: N/A
- however, despite this is not applicable, its efforts to join in the WTO will surely help bring it into the system and then begin to put effort in this regard