What Do Small and Poor Developing Countries Need from the Multilateral Trading System?

This paper reflects on small and poor developing countries’ needs from a multilateral trading system. Having recognised the importance of the WTO in ensuring predictability for producers and consumers and the limited negotiating capacity of small and poor countries, the paper examines three potential areas of constraint on trading by them: market access in goods, costs of trading and opening up of services trade. Several proposals that are currently under negotiations are then examined to suggest areas where these countries should focus their efforts in the WTO.