This book engages in a systematic analysis of development-oriented rules and procedures at the WTO. It argues that the shortcomings of the Doha Development Round are due in part to the failure to assess trade rules as part of the legal processes and institutions that produce them. A consideration of the development dimension at the WTO must account for the impact of the WTO as an institution on developing and least developed members. The book then seeks to open some paths for reconsidering the trade and development relationship at the WTO taking into account both the heritage of the trade regi ... More

This book engages in a systematic analysis of development-oriented rules and procedures at the WTO. It argues that the shortcomings of the Doha Development Round are due in part to the failure to assess trade rules as part of the legal processes and institutions that produce them. A consideration of the development dimension at the WTO must account for the impact of the WTO as an institution on developing and least developed members. The book then seeks to open some paths for reconsidering the trade and development relationship at the WTO taking into account both the heritage of the trade regime and present dynamics. From a pragmatic perspective, this book provides a coherent and systematic analysis of the legal value, the implementation, and the adjudication of special and differential treatment rules for developing members at the WTO. From a theoretical perspective, it posits two paradigms to evaluate different regulatory approaches to trade and development: One where development is considered as a core normative constituent of the trade liberalizing mission of the WTO and one where development considerations are considered on an ad hoc basis. As a prescriptive analysis, it presents a menu of options towards a more functional balance of trade liberalization processes and the development imperatives of many WTO members.