Recent literature has argued that, contrary to the results of a seminal paper by Rose (2004), WTO membership does promote bilateral trade, at least for developed economies and if membership includes non-formal compliance. We review the literature in order to identify open issues. We then develop the simplest possible “corner-solutions" version of the gravity model which serves as a framework to...

One of the most striking development in the world trading system since the mid 1990s is a surge in Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs). From about 50 till 1990, the number of RTAs notified to the World Trade Organization (WTO) has crossed 250 in 2003 and estimates indicate that over 300 RTAs will be in effect by 2007. Initially WTO encouraged the growth of RTAs because it believed that regional in...

In the context of overlapping bilateral, regional, and multilateral trade agreements, states face a wide array of options for market opening strategies. This paper examines why states choose to adjudicate some trade disputes in the WTO dispute settlement process while negotiating or ignoring others. It then compares outcomes given the choice among alternative strategies. I argue that government...

Despite widespread belief that membership in the World Trade Organization (WTO) improves the quality of governance, there is no convincing empirical evidence. Here, we investigate whether WTO membership has a causal effect on firm-level reports of political corruption using a nonparametric partial identification approach to bound the average treatment effect (ATE). We also analyze conditional A...

Proponents of high-level panels generally invoke two reasons in favor of the exercise. First, in the face of political deadlock, a daring yet objective analysis by high-profile experts may create momentum for reform and unlock the political stalemate. Second, periodic review by unbiased, yet knowledgeable outsiders may sharpen the effectiveness of an organization and move it beyond the short-te...

Are states constrained by international law? Recent studies suggest that the legal regime of the World Trade Organization (WTO), in particular, has no independent effect on members’ trade policies. We argue, in contrast, that the WTO’s “rule of law” is likely to deter protectionist practices against other members, including those lacking the ability to retaliate. The WTO accomplishes this by cl...

The World Trade Organisation has emerged as an important agency, whose rules and operations have major effects on the development policies of its developing country Members. This paper reviews some of the recent developments and issues arising from the WTO's work and activities. The paper takes what the author considers is a development perspective" of the trading system. The WTO held a Ministe...

Prices in the hog industry in Taiwan are determined according to an auction system. There are significant differences in hog prices before, during and after joining the World Trade Organization (WTO). The paper models growth rates and volatility in daily hog prices in Taiwan from 23 March 1999 to 30 June 2007, which enables an analysis of the effects of joining the WTO. The empirical results ha...

On December 6, 2005, shortly before the World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Conference in Hong Kong, WTO member states agreed to accept a protocol of amendment to the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs Agreement). This amendment sought to provide a permanent solution to implement paragraph 6 of the Doha Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public ...