Trade Policy: towards a New Concept of Fairness

Abstract

Redesigning European trade policy is essentially a question of defining a new orientation for the WTO. In this new conception the WTO would become more democratic, more respectful of fundamental rights, and would treat subjects with a more differentiated approach: taking into account specific national situations and levels of development. In this perspective new negotiation lines could be drawn between both developing and other industrialized countries. The Dispute Settlement Body (DSB)’s functioning would be completely overhauled, which would have important implications in two sectoral matters: the agriculture policy, which has already been analysed, and the services with the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS).