[CivilSoc] Inviting your participation: The Multilateral Trade Regime Seen Through a Global Public Goods Lens: New insights on old problems

[Vikas Nath]

Dear Colleagues at CiviSoc,
We invite your participation in the discussion forum "The Multilateral Trade Regime Seen Through a Global Public Goods Lens: New insights on old problems" to be held on the global public goods Network ( http://www.gpgNet.net ) platform from 7 July to 21 July 2003.
You may subscribe to the discussion forum by sending a blank email to subscribe-gpgnet-trade at groups.undp.org
In the last fifty years, there has been a marked expansion of the multilateral trade regime-more commonly known as the World Trade Organization (WTO)-both in terms of coverage of issues and membership. Its expanded scope, particularly covering so-called behind-the-border-policies across a growing number of countries, makes this regime easily display global public goods characteristics of de facto non-exclusivity and non-rivalry. This regime is being placed in the global public domain-affecting all-largely through the confluence of individual countries' policies.
Yet even as the 5th WTO Ministerial meeting 2003 in Cancun, Mexico approaches, there is still a raging debate as to the net benefits that developing countries gain from membership in this regime. Many in the developing world argue that the last major round of trade negotiations-the Uruguay Round-generated skewed benefits in favor of the industrialized countries. Still there are those who support further trade liberalization and expansion of the WTO. Perhaps most important in the present context, the issue of whether and to what extent a new "development round" could be launched is at the center of ongoing discussions.
Prospects for a "development round" in Cancun seem bleak at present. Already, there appears to be a stalemate on many issues of interest to developing countries, including, among others, those on further agricultural liberalization in Northern countries and the balance between Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) and health. 
The complete background paper to the discussion is available at http://www.gpgnet.net/discussion.php 
Please join us for this debate and share with us -and the global public- your observations on this topic. 
Yours sincerely, 
Inge Kaul, Director, Office of Development Studies
Vikas Nath, gpgNet.net Forum Manager 
United Nations Development Programme
336 East 45th Street, Uganda House 
New York, NY 10017, USA
Email: info at gpgnet.net 
URL: http://www.gpgnet.net 
gpgNet.net intends to serve researchers, policymakers, business and civil society as a platform for information exchange and discussion on issues concerning the theory, policy design and practice of providing global public goods  
7 July to 21 July 2003: gpgNet.net Forum on "The Multilateral Trade Regime Seen Through a Global Public Goods Lens: New insights on old problems." Read the complete background paper to the discussion at  http://www.gpgnet.net/discussion.php
To subscribe to the forum, send a blank email to subscribe-gpgnet-trade at groups.undp.org
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