Effective participation of Russia in the WTO

The article deals with the opportunities and ways to improve Russia’s membership in the WTO. The author analyzes the likely benefits of the membership (decreasing trade discrimination,extension of more favorable regime in foreign trade, access to the WTO dispute settlement mechanism and etc.) as well as substantial benefits, which are contingent upon economic reforms, perfection of the structural and geographic distribution of trade, the exercise of all WTO participation rights. The author underlines the essential preconditions for the improvement,in particular, integration of science into developing public-private partnerships, elimination of imbalances - between Russia’s large number of scientists and its low share in hi-tech exports, substantial increase in government support for national exporters of manufactured goods. The author suggests that the membership improvement experience of some predecessors of Russia in the WTO, including China and India, might be considered and adopted.