Internet Exercises


1			Many of the businesses in small countries are resource based - that is to say based on agriculture, fishing, forestry or mining. There have been several WTO rulings that make it "challenging" for the ability of companies, in those countries, to continue exporting to their customers in North America and Europe. Saint Lucia: Caribbean - exporters of bananas to the EU The following information comes from a speech made by the Prime Minister of St. Lucia, the Hon. Dr. Kenny D. Anthony, on the Impact of the WTO Ruling on the EU Banana Import Regime on W.I. Bananas. The Prime Minister made his remarks in the context of the three countries of Dominica, St. Lucia and St. Vincent. http://www.stlucia.gov.lc/primeminister/ "...the banana industry dominates the agriculture sector of these three islands. It is the single most important sector of the economies of these islands and has been the main engine of growth and development, particularly rural development. It has contributed immensely to the socio-economic development of the islands and to the stable democratic climate which they have enjoyed." Read more at http://www.witiger.com/internationalbusiness/wto.htm




2			When the World Trade Organization (WTO) was established, its goal was to advocate and facilitate trade deals—in particular multilateral trade deals. However, the new head of the WTO, Supachai Panitchpakdi, has found that convincing countries of the value of multilateral trade deals is difficult. It seems that many countries prefer bilateral deals. Supachai argues though, that the only real way to bring down trade barriers is via multi-country agreements. To that end, he is actively negotiating with countries to try to get the Doha Round of trade agreements achieved. The current talks revolve around four key issues: the provision of cheap medicines for poor countries; agricultural reform; development issues; and dispute settlement. Why do countries prefer bilateral agreements to multilateral agreements? What are the implications of country-to-country pacts versus multi-country agreements for companies? Go to the WTO's web site (www.wto.org) and assess the current status of the Doha Round. What is Canada's current position on WTO and Doha? http://www.international.gc.ca/trade-agreements-accords-commerciaux/agr-acc/wto-omc/wto-co.aspx? and http://www.international.gc.ca/international/media.aspx read the Dept. of Foreign Affairs webpage on "Canada and the WTO" Source: "WTO Chief Pushes Group Think," The Wall Street Journal, 2/3/03, p. A12.

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