Lamy Calls for Domestic Changes to Help Developing Markets
WTO Director-General says the Doha Round's must correct imbalances in trade to help developing countries create markets, points out importance of domestic policy support.
Compiled by staff
Published: Nov 1, 2006
WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy sees trade as the key to encouraging development across the globe, and believes it the Doha Round should correct imbalances in trade rules in order provide developing nations with the opportunity to build international markets.
Delivering the Emile Noel lecture at New York University Law School, Lamy says that trade can help open markets and create development opportunities for developing countries, but that it must be supported by other domestic policies.
Lamy points out that globalization can not cure all ills on its own. He points out three flaws of international trade policy rules: that a mix of trade rules will benefit some countries more than others, that participating nations must be able to make market access commitments, and that sometimes negative side effects of trade remedies can outweigh the positives.
These three problems, Lamy says, tend to especially work against developing countries.
"The challenge of market opening and globalization for developing countries call for enhanced international action," he says.
Lamy mentions farm subsidies as a practice that benefits rich countries and hurts developing nations. He also points out the bias in tariff rules, such as those in the U.S. and Europe,that are lower for raw materials than for processed goods.
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