IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/wbk/wbrwps/3566.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Trade preferences and differential treatment of developing countries : a selective survey

Author

Listed:
  • Hoekman, Bernard
  • Ozden, Caglar

Abstract

Nonreciprocal trade preferences and provisions in the GATT/WTO that allow developing countries greater leeway to retain or use protectionist policies are two of the central planks of so-called special and differential treatment (SDT) for developing countries in the multilateral trading system. The authors survey the literature on the rationales, institutional features, and economic effectiveness of SDT. A large literature has emerged on SDT in the past 50 years, by both proponents and opponents. They summarize a number of key contributions on the subject, with a special emphasis on the evaluation of the impact of SDT, especially preferential market access. The issue of SDT has become very topical again, following a period during which it was viewed as an outdated concept for the multilateral trading system. The authors therefore devote attention as well to a number of recent contributions that discuss (1) whetherthere is a continued need for SDT, and (2) how this might be designed from both a development (recipient) objective and from the perspective of the trading system more generally. A major theme of the survey is that most of the issues that are debated today were already being discussed in the 1960s. The authors conclude that those who questioned the value of unilateral preferences have proven to be prescient.

Suggested Citation

  • Hoekman, Bernard & Ozden, Caglar, 2005. "Trade preferences and differential treatment of developing countries : a selective survey," Policy Research Working Paper Series 3566, The World Bank.
    • Handle: RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:3566
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/WDSContentServer/WDSP/IB/2005/04/21/000012009_20050421124442/Rendered/PDF/wps3566.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Kiichiro Fukasaku, 2000. "Special and Differential Treatment for Developing Countries: Does It Help Those Who Help Themselves?," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2000-197, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    2. J.M. Finger, 2002. "Trade and Domestic Effects of the Offshore Assembly Provision in the U.S. Tariff," Chapters, in: Institutions and Trade Policy, chapter 4, pages 29-42, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    3. Hiau Looi Kee & Alessandro Nicita & Marcelo Olarreaga, 2008. "Import Demand Elasticities and Trade Distortions," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 90(4), pages 666-682, November.
    4. Keck, Alexander & Low, Patrick, 2004. "Special and differential treatment in the WTO: Why, when and how?," WTO Staff Working Papers ERSD-2004-03, World Trade Organization (WTO), Economic Research and Statistics Division.
    5. Hoekman, Bernard & Djankov, Simeon, 1997. "Determinants of the Export Structure of Countries in Central and Eastern Europe," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 11(3), pages 471-487, September.
    6. T. N. Srinivasan & Jagdish Bhagwati, 2001. "Outward-Orientation and Development: Are Revisionists Right?," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Deepak Lal & Richard H. Snape (ed.), Trade, Development and Political Economy, chapter 1, pages 3-26, Palgrave Macmillan.
    7. Brenton, Paul, 2003. "Integrating the least developed countries into the world trading system : the current impact of EU preferences under everything but arms," Policy Research Working Paper Series 3018, The World Bank.
    8. Aaditya Mattoo & Devesh Roy & Arvind Subramanian, 2003. "The Africa Growth and Opportunity Act and its Rules of Origin: Generosity Undermined?," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(6), pages 829-851, June.
    9. Aitken, Norman D & Obutelewicz, Robert S, 1976. "A Cross-Sectional Study of EEC Trade with the Association of African Countries," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 58(4), pages 425-433, November.
    10. Grossman, Gene M, 1982. "Import Competition from Developed and Developing Countries," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 64(2), pages 271-281, May.
    11. Christopher S Adam & Stephen A O'Connell, 2004. "Aid versus Trade Revisited: Donor and Recipient Policies in the Presence of Learning-by-Doing," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 114(492), pages 150-173, January.
    12. Arvind Panagariya, 2003. "Aid through Trade: An effective option," International Trade 0308011, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    13. Mari Pangestu, 2000. "Special and Differential Treatment in the Millennium: Special for Whom and How Different?," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 23(9), pages 1285-1302, September.
    14. J.M. Finger, 2002. "Tariff Provisions for Offshore Assembly and the Exports of Developing Countries," Chapters, in: Institutions and Trade Policy, chapter 3, pages 22-28, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    15. repec:rus:hseeco:123147 is not listed on IDEAS
    16. Brown, Drusilla K, 1989. "Trade and Welfare Effects of the European Schemes of the Generalized System of Preferences," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 37(4), pages 757-777, July.
    17. Daniel Lederman & Çaglar Özden, 2004. "U.S. Trade Preferences: All are not Created Equal," Working Papers Central Bank of Chile 280, Central Bank of Chile.
    18. Arvind Panagariya, 2003. "Miracles and Debacles: Do Free-trade Skeptics have a Case?," International Trade 0308013, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    19. Hoekman, Bernard, 2004. "Dismantling Discrimination Against Developing Countries: Access, Rules and Differential Treatment," CEPR Discussion Papers 4694, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    20. repec:rus:hseeco:123712 is not listed on IDEAS
    21. Pelzman, Joseph & Schoepfle, Gregory K, 1988. "The Impact of the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act on Caribbean Nations' Exports and Development," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 36(4), pages 753-796, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Keck, Alexander & Low, Patrick, 2004. "Special and differential treatment in the WTO: Why, when and how?," WTO Staff Working Papers ERSD-2004-03, World Trade Organization (WTO), Economic Research and Statistics Division.
    2. Akiko Suwa-Eisenmann & Thierry Verdier, 2007. "Aid and trade," Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Oxford University Press and Oxford Review of Economic Policy Limited, vol. 23(3), pages 481-507, Autumn.
    3. Nuno Limão & Marcelo Olarreaga, 2018. "Trade Preferences to Small Developing Countries and the Welfare Costs of Lost Multilateral Liberalization," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Policy Externalities and International Trade Agreements, chapter 15, pages 403-426, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    4. Wainio, John & Shapouri, Shahla & Trueblood, Michael A. & Gibson, Paul R., 2005. "Agricultural Trade Preferences and the Developing Countries," Economic Research Report 7258, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    5. Stephan Klasen & Inmaculada Martínez-Zarzoso & Felicitas Nowak-Lehmann & Matthias Bruckner, 2021. "Does the designation of least developed country status promote exports?," The Journal of International Trade & Economic Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 30(2), pages 157-177, February.
    6. Elisa Gamberoni, 2007. "Do unilateral trade preferences help export diversification? An investigation of the impact of European unilateral trade preferences on the extensive and intensive margin of trade," IHEID Working Papers 17-2007, Economics Section, The Graduate Institute of International Studies.
    7. Arvind Panagariya, 2003. "Aid through Trade: An effective option," International Trade 0308011, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    8. Bernhard Herz & Marco Wagner, 2011. "The Dark Side of the Generalized System of Preferences," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 19(4), pages 763-775, September.
    9. Laaksonen, Kalle & Maki-Franti, Petri & Virolainen, Meri, 2007. "Lome Convention, Agriculture and Trade Relations between the EU and the ACP Countries in 1975-2000," Working Papers 18853, TRADEAG - Agricultural Trade Agreements.
    10. Bernard Hoekman & Constantine Michalopoulos & L. Alan Winter, 2004. "Special and Differential Treatment of Developing Countries in the WTO: Moving Forward After Cancún," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 27(4), pages 481-506, April.
    11. Arvind Panagariya, 2003. "EU Preferential Trade Policies and Developing Countries," International Trade 0308014, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    12. Bureau, Jean-Christophe & Jean, Sebastien & Matthews, Alan, 2006. "The Consequences of Agricultural Trade Liberalization for Developing Countries," 2006 Annual Meeting, August 12-18, 2006, Queensland, Australia 25471, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    13. Fabien Candau & Sébastien Jean, 2005. "What Are EU Trade Preferences Worth for Sub-Saharan Africa and Other Developing Countries?," Working Papers 2005-19, CEPII research center.
    14. Axel Borrmann & Matthias Busse & Manuel De La Rocha, 2007. "Consequences of Economic Partnership Agreements between East and Southern African Countries and the EU for Inter- and Intra-regional Integration," International Economic Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(2), pages 233-253.
    15. Low, Patrick & Piermartini, Roberta & Richtering, Jurgen, 2005. "Multilateral solutions to the erosion of non-reciprocal preferences in NAMA," WTO Staff Working Papers ERSD-2005-05, World Trade Organization (WTO), Economic Research and Statistics Division.
    16. Bureau, Jean-Christophe & Jean, Sebastien & Matthews, Alan, 2005. "Agricultural Trade Liberalization: Assessing the Consequences for Developing Countries," 2005 International Congress, August 23-27, 2005, Copenhagen, Denmark 24628, European Association of Agricultural Economists.
    17. Ng, Francis & Yeats, Alexander, 1999. "Production sharing in East Asia : who does what for whom, and why?," Policy Research Working Paper Series 2197, The World Bank.
    18. Katerina Gradeva & Inmaculada Martínez-Zarzoso, 2009. "Trade as Aid: The Role of the EBA-Trade Preferences Regime in the Development Strategy," Ibero America Institute for Econ. Research (IAI) Discussion Papers 197, Ibero-America Institute for Economic Research.
    19. Joseph Francois & Bernard Hoekman & Miriam Manchin, 2006. "Preference Erosion and Multilateral Trade Liberalization," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 20(2), pages 197-216.
    20. Dowlah Caf, 2008. "The Generalized System of Preferences of the United States: Does It Promote Industrialization and Economic Growth in Least Developed Countries?," The Law and Development Review, De Gruyter, vol. 1(1), pages 74-97, December.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:3566. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Roula I. Yazigi (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/dvewbus.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.