WTO Discusses Standardized Accession Benchmarks for LDCs
The chair of the World Trade Organization’s sub-committee on least developed countries, Ambassador Steffen Smidt of Denmark, said nine informal consultations were held since the last meeting in January 2012. Members discussed the ways to “further strengthen, streamline and operationalize” current guidelines on the process for the poorest countries to become a member of WTO.
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(The WTO says that negotiating membership, or “accession to” the WTO, involves complex technical work and the process can last for years. The poor countries often lack the human and institutional capacity to meet and negotiate regularly with other WTO members. The work on accession guidelines aims to provide benchmarks for the market opening commitments that a least-developed country should undertake to become a WTO member, taking into consideration the commitments made by LDCs which are already WTO members.)
Discussions Revolve Around Benchmarks, Special Treatment, Assistance
The discussions are structured around five pillars, which are (i) benchmarks in the area of goods; (ii) possible benchmarks in the area of services; (iii) increased transparency in the negotiations of accessions; (iv) special and differential treatment provided to least-developed countries including additional transition periods; and (v) technical assistance to help acceding LDCs to complete their accession process as well as to implement their commitments.
Recommendations Due to General Council in July 2012
According to the WTO, progress has been made in starting to identify the benchmarks on goods, said the chair, while establishing benchmarks on services requires further reflections. Two sectors (telecom and financial) have been picked up with a view to enhance the understanding of members on the content of LDC commitments in those sectors. More consultations are also needed on the transparency of accession negotiations, on special and differential treatment and on technical assistance, but convergence on most of these elements would not seem to be difficult.
The chair intends to move towards more concrete discussion on all five pillars, so that the Sub-Committee could submit recommendations to the General Council meeting in July 2012.