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WTO Reform: Back to the Past to Build for the Future

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  • Bernard Hoekman
  • Petros C. Mavroidis

Abstract

Since its formation, with a few notable exceptions, WTO members have not been able to negotiate new rules on policies that generate negative international spillovers. The Doha Development Agenda negotiations, launched in 2001, became deadlocked in 2008. Problems extend beyond negotiations – other functions of the WTO are also not performing well. The dispute settlement mechanism, long perceived as the crown jewel of the organization, no longer is operational because of US refusal to appoint new WTO Appellate Body members. Calls for WTO reform have been mounting. This article provides an overview of the WTO reform agenda, drawing on the findings of recent multidisciplinary research to provide context for the papers included in this special issue on trade conflicts, multilateral cooperation and WTO reform.

Suggested Citation

  • Bernard Hoekman & Petros C. Mavroidis, 2021. "WTO Reform: Back to the Past to Build for the Future," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 12(S3), pages 5-12, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:glopol:v:12:y:2021:i:s3:p:5-12
    DOI: 10.1111/1758-5899.12924
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Bernard Hoekman & Douglas Nelson, 2020. "Rethinking international subsidy rules," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(12), pages 3104-3132, December.
    2. Hoekman, Bernard M. & Mavroidis, Petros C., 2015. "Embracing Diversity: Plurilateral Agreements and the Trading System," World Trade Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 14(1), pages 101-116, January.
    3. Bernard Hoekman & Charles Sabel, 2019. "Open Plurilateral Agreements, International Regulatory Cooperation and the WTO," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 10(3), pages 297-312, September.
    4. Robert Wolfe, 2020. "Reforming WTO Conflict Management. Why and How to Improve the Use of “Specific Trade Concerns”," RSCAS Working Papers 2020/53, European University Institute.
    5. Aaditya Mattoo & Nadia Rocha & Michele Ruta, 2020. "Handbook of Deep Trade Agreements," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 34055.
    6. Fiorini, Matteo & Mavroidis, Petros C. & Saluste, Maarja & Wolfe, Robert, 2020. "WTO Dispute Settlement and the Appellate Body: Insider perceptions and Members’ revealed preferences," CEPR Discussion Papers 14834, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    7. Robert Wolfe, 2021. "Yours is bigger than mine! Could an index like the Producer Subsidy Equivalent help in understanding the comparative incidence of industrial subsidies?," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 44(2), pages 328-345, February.
    8. Christopher Findlay & Bernard Hoekman, 2021. "Value chain approaches to reducing policy spillovers on international business," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 4(3), pages 390-409, September.
    9. Karttunen,Marianna B., 2020. "Transparency in the WTO SPS and TBT Agreements," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9781108486453, October.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Sjöholm, Fredrik, 2023. "The Return of Borders in the World Economy: An EU-Perspective," Working Paper Series 1469, Research Institute of Industrial Economics.
    2. Giuseppe Zaccaria, 2022. "You’re Fired! International Courts, Re‐contracting, and the WTO Appellate Body during the Trump Presidency," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 13(3), pages 322-333, June.
    3. Bernard Hoekman & Xinquan Tu & Robert Wolfe, 2022. "China and WTO Reform," RSCAS Working Papers 2022/59, European University Institute.
    4. Bernard Hoekman & Robert Wolfe, 2021. "Reforming the World Trade Organization: Practitioner Perspectives from China, the EU, and the US," China & World Economy, Institute of World Economics and Politics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, vol. 29(4), pages 1-34, July.
    5. Karl Aiginger & Christian Ketels, 2024. "Industrial Policy Reloaded," Journal of Industry, Competition and Trade, Springer, vol. 24(1), pages 1-10, December.
    6. Koppiahraj Karuppiah & Bathrinath Sankaranarayanan & Syed Mithun Ali, 2022. "Modeling Impacts of COVID-19 in Supply Chain Activities: A Grey-DEMATEL Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-21, October.
    7. Kristen Hopewell, 2022. "Emerging Powers, Leadership, and South–South Solidarity: The Battle Over Special and Differential Treatment at the WTO," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 13(4), pages 469-482, September.

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