The “Plurilateral” Temptation and the Doha Round: Implications and Options for the EAC

This paper discusses the potential implications of the emerging trend towards plurilateral trade agreements for EAC countries. Today the “plurilateral track” is becoming more attractive for several WTO members as a way to advance deeper liberalisation inside or outside the multilateral trading system, as exemplified by recent proposals for an International Services Agreement (ISA) and a potential Sustainable Energy Trade Agreement (SETA). If plurilaterals become a more serious alternative, developing countries need to explore their use in sectors and areas of their interest.