The WTO has an institution (the so called dispute settlement body ; DSB) which can be called on by nations if they believe another country violates an exiting WTO agreement.

In the past there have been cases at the DSB which showed a conflict between business interests on one side and environmental or consumer interests on the other side.

Question :

How often did the WTO in such cases make decisions in the advantage of environmental concerns or consumer rights ?
 

a)    The WTO thinks that environmental concerns and consumer rights have to have a higher priority than business interests and consequently decided in all cases in favour of environmental or consumer rights.

b)    Since the WTO has no expertise in such fields as environmental and consumer rights such cases get automatically transferred for dispute settlement to competent UN organisations.

c)     The WTO has as only aim the further liberalisation of international trade and deregulations of national markets. Since already established and new environmental regulations or regulations protecting consumer rights are a barrier to further economic liberalisation and deregulations the WTO consequently decided in all cases against the environment and consumer rights.

One of the reasons to form the WTO was to build a so called "rule based system" to replace the law of the strongest which until than dominated international trade relations.

Question :

How far has the WTO fulfilled its promise to help poorer countries to get their fair share in world economy ?
 

a)  The rich countries like the US and EU gave the poor countries the possibility to protect their less competitive markets to develop their national economy until they are able to participate in a competitive global marked economy

b)  To support the development of the poor countries the WTO put in the first few years its priority on the reduction of barriers to fair trade in the agriculture and the textile sector, which are of major importance for developing countries.

c)  From the 134 WTO member countries more than 90 belong to the so called less developed countries (also known as third world countries). Since one of the rules in the WTO is "one country one vote" developing countries have the strongest voice in the WTO

Late November this year the third ministerial meeting of the WTO will take place in Seattle in the US.

Question :

What are the plans for the meeting ?
 

a)    The main objective of this meeting is to have a broad evaluation and assessment of the last few years of WTO policy and to find ways to adjust the flaws and apply reforms in fields found necessary.

b)    The negotiations will stick to the so called build in agenda which consists of subjects which were postponed on the last ministerial meeting or which's date for implementation was set to this date.

c)    The rich countries and especially the EU are trying to get a new round on further economic trade liberalisation and a broadening of the WTO mandate. This is of major importance since otherwise the momentum for further economic deregulations threatens to diminish.

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