The paper is an attempt to understand the specific mandates and activities of WTO TBT and SPS Committees. The paper also looks at the standards and regulations that are affecting trade of least-developed countries and their performance in these committees. The Paper suggests that the participation of least-developed countries is very low in these Committees and they need to increase their participation in standard setting process in general and these Committees in particular so as to increase their trade prospects in the long term.
Non-tariff measures to trade are not new, but their significance for least-developed countries continues to grow. Although, the World Trade Organisation responsible for rules governing international trade between its member’s attempts to ensure that trade flows smoothly, freely and on a fair basis, an increase in non-tariff measures restricts it and least-developed countries are the most affected. WTO Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary issues and Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade are two major platforms where specific trade concerns related to standards and regulations are raised and discussed. The paper is an attempt to understand the specific mandates and activities of WTO TBT and SPS Committees. The paper also looks at the standards and regulations that are affecting trade of least-developed countries and their performance in these committees.
The Paper suggests that the participation of leastdeveloped countries is very low in these Committees and they need to increase their participation in standard setting process in general and these Committees in particular so as to increase their trade prospects in the long term.