Small states and the World Trade Organisation

Abstract

The economic constraints and vulnerabilities of small states are well documented. Yet, so far, these states have not managed to persuade the World Trade Organisation (WTO) that they merit special treatment in view of the disproportionate burden that they carry in taking on board the WTO rules. However in 2001, the Ministerial Declaration issued at the Doha WTO made specific reference to small economies, referring, in paragraph 35, to the need "to frame responses to the trade-related issues, identified for the fuller integration of small, vulnerable economies into the multilateral trading system, and not to create a sub-category of WTO members". This chapter will discuss the main issues underlying the claim for special and differential treatment for small states, and assesses the prospects that such a claim be accepted by the WTO.