Accession to the WTO for developing countries. Strategies for gaining maximum benefits

Contents

ABSTRACT

1. INTRODUCTION
1.1. Overview of Important Concepts
1.1.1. What is World Trade Organization (WTO)?
1.1.2. Developing Countries
1.2. The Justifications and Consequences of Protectionism and of the Trade Liberalization
1.2.1. Arguments Against Trade Liberalization: Protectionism
1.2.2. The Benefit of Trade Liberalization and Integration to International Trade Organizations

2. OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES OF WTO MEMBERSHIP
2.1. Opportunities of WTO Membership to Developing Countries in General
2.2. Specific Opportunities of Accession to WTO to the Developing Countries
2.2.1. Protection against Discriminatory Regulatory Measures
2.2.2. The Generalized System of Preferences (GSP)
2.2.3. Dispute Settlement
2.3. Challenges of WTO Membership to Developing Countries
2.4. Necessary Precautions Before Joining the WTO
2.4.1. The Role of the WTO in Economic Development in Developing Countries
2.4.2. The Level of Development Required to be Achieved Before Joining the WTO
2.5. The Necessary Precautions to Be Taken by Developing Countries During the Negotiation for Joining the WTO

3. WTO ACCESSION: ETHIOPIA’S PERSPECTIVE
3.1. Overview
3.2. Ethiopian accession so far
3.2.1. Preparation and Submission of the Memorandum on the Foreign-Trade Regime of Ethiopia
3.2.2. A Roadmap for Ethiopia's WTO Accession
3.2.3. The Diagnostic Trade Integration Study (DTIS)
3.2.4 Capacity-Building Activities
3.2.5. Impact-Assessment Studies
3.3. Challenges of WTO membership

4. EXPERIENCES OF LDCs ACCEDED TO THE WTO
4.1. Duration of Accession Process
4.2. Commitments of Acceded LDCs
4.2.1 Tariff Bindings in Trade in Goods
4.2.2. Transition Periods
4.2.3. Commitments on Trade in Services
4.2.4. Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS)
4.2.5. Special and Differential Treatment
4.3. Implementation of WTO Accession Commitments

CONCLUSION AND WAYS FORWARD: LESSONS FOR ETHIOPIA

REFERENCES