Special and differential treatment for developingcountries

Ornelas, Emanuel ORCID: 0000-0001-8330-8745 (2016) Special and differential treatment for developingcountries. CEP Discussion Paper (1415). London School of Economics and Political Science. Centre for Economic Performance, London, UK.

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Abstract

Special and Differential Treatment for Developing Countries (SDT) constitutes a central feature of the GATT/WTO system. Its formal goal is to foster export-led growth in developing countries. Its theoretical foundations and empirical support are, however, weak at best. In particular, SDT conflicts with the GATT's two key principles of reciprocity and non-discrimination, compromising the efficiency of the multilateral trading system. Still, if SDT provisions help those who most need help, sacrificing economic efficiency may be justifiable. However, there are numerous criticisms, on theoretical and empirical grounds, to the premises and the achievements of SDT-based disciplines, casting serious doubt on its effectiveness in helping developing countries trade and grow. For researchers, the good news is that there is plenty of room for progress, with several important areas where our understanding remains unsatisfactory but progress is feasible---that is, where the expected return to research effort seems unusually high.

Item Type:	Monograph (Discussion Paper)
Official URL:	http://cep.lse.ac.uk/
Additional Information:	© 2016 The Author
Divisions:	Centre for Economic Performance
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HB Economic Theory H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > HD28 Management. Industrial Management
JEL classification:	G - Financial Economics > G1 - General Financial Markets > G18 - Government Policy and Regulation H - Public Economics > H6 - National Budget, Deficit, and Debt > H63 - Debt; Debt Management L - Industrial Organization > L1 - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance > L15 - Information and Product Quality; Standardization and Compatibility
Date Deposited:	10 May 2016 07:52
Last Modified:	11 Dec 2024 19:21
Funders:	Economic and Social Research Council, Economic and Social Research Council
URI:	http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/66432

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