What should happen after a trade agreement

1
What should happen after a trade agreement?

• Sheila Page
• Overseas Development Institute
• WTO Public Forum
• 25 September 2008

2
Why complementary measures

• Help with adjustment is good for development and
  for poverty reduction
• The interactions among different trade agreements
  can produce unintended and perverse effects
• Public institutions and private entrepreneurs may
  not have the capacity to respond to new market
  opportunities arising from liberalisation

3
Changes that are almost costless

• Traders and potential traders must know about an
  agreement
• Markets and suppliers must share information
• A successful agreement must be flexible
• Removing tariffs is not enough if other trading
  rules remain an obstacle

4
Changes that need resources

• Producing and selling require adequate and
  appropriate finance
• Poor or wrong infrastructure can restrict trade
• Governments can support all producers