Anti-dumping, subsidies, safeguards

One of the main objectives of this Report is to analyze whether WTO provisions provide a balance between supplying governments with necessary flexibility to face difficult economic situations and adequately defining them in a way that limits their use for protectionist purposes. In analysing this question the Report focuses primarily on contingency measures available to WTO members when importing and exporting goods. These measures include the use of safeguards such as tariffs and quotas in specified circumstances anti-dumping duties on goods that are deemed to be “dumped” and countervailing duties imposed to offset subsidies. The Report also discusses alternative policy options including the renegotiation of tariff commitments the use of export taxes and increases in tariffs up to their legal maximum ceiling or binding. The analysis includes consideration of legal economic and political economy factors that influence the use of these measures and their associated benefits and costs.

World Tariff Profiles 2014 provides a unique collection of data on tariffs imposed by WTO members and other countries. It is jointly published by the WTO the International Trade Centre (ITC) and the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).The first part of the publication provides summary tables showing the average tariffs imposed by individual countries. The second part provides a more detailed table for each country listing the tariffs it imposes on imports (by product group) as well as the tariffs it faces for exports to major trading partners. The profiles show the maximum tariff rates that are legally “bound” in the WTO and the rates that countries actually apply. This edition of World Trade Profiles has anti-dumping measures as its special topic and includes a compilation of frequently asked questions.

Les “subventions” sont le sujet central du rapport 2006 sur le commerce mondial. Les auteurs explorent ce champ d'action pour voir comment on peut définir les subventions ce que la théorie économique peut nous dire d'elles pourquoi les gouvernements y ont recours quels sont les secteurs qui en sont les principaux bénéficiaires et quel rôle l'Accord de l'OMC peut jouer pour les réglementer dans le contexte du commerce international.

The annual World Trade Report focuses on trade policy issues - the core topic addressed in 2006 is subsidies. The Report also takes a look at recent trade developments and examines a range of trade topics including trade in textiles and clothing flows of international receipts and payments of royalties and license fees trends in the trade of least-developed countries and the impact of natural disasters and terrorist acts on international trade flows. The World Trade Report is useful for policymakers and for any individuals or groups interested in global trade policy.

This Section discusses the main objectives governments claim to pursue with subsidies including industrial development innovation and support for national champions environment related objectives and redistribution. Under the broad category “redistribution” three more specific objectives are examined: the use of subsidies for regional policy purposes adjustment support for declining industries and universal service obligations. This selection does not pretend to be exhaustive but it covers some of the most important objectives pursued by governments in developing and developed countries.