International cooperation in the field of trade from 1947 to 1995 was regulated by the decisions of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). The need for cooperation in this area was proved by the economic crisis of 1929, and the United States and Great Britain in 1944 initiated it. On January 1, 1995, an agreement was signed in Marakesh on the establishment of the World Trade Organization (WTO). By the beginning of 2012, its members are 156 states.
Instruction manual
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Membership in the WTO implies a balance of rights and obligations of all countries participating in the agreement. Any state or customs union can join this organization on certain conditions. For example, WTO members are the European Union as a whole and each country that is a member of it.
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Before the start of negotiations on accession to the WTO, the state can become an observer with this organization. This step is optional. It is needed so that the government of the applicant country is better acquainted with the activities of the organization and decides whether membership is beneficial to the state.
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Observer status is granted for 5 years and gives the right to attend meetings of all WTO bodies, with the exception of the Committee on Budget, Finance and Administration. Observers may apply for technical assistance to the Secretariat and are required to pay fees for the services rendered to them.
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The further entry process can be divided into four stages. 1. The government submits an application describing all aspects of the country's trade and economic policy related to the scope of the WTO. The memorandum is considered by the working group, which makes a conclusion about the possibility of admitting the applicant to the organization. All WTO member states can participate in these groups.
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2. After the working group has made a preliminary conclusion, bilateral negotiations begin between the participating countries and the applicant. They relate to changes in tariff rates, market access and other problems in the sphere of goods and services. Negotiations can be very lengthy and complicated, because they must prove the benefit of all members of the organization from the adoption of a new state.
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3. When the working group has fully studied the trading conditions of the applicant, and bilateral negotiations have been successfully completed, the conditions for entry are being finalized. The group prepares a final report, a draft membership agreement and a list of obligations of the new member of the organization.
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4. The final set of documents, consisting of the final report, protocol and list of obligations, is submitted for consideration to the WTO General Council or the Ministerial Conference. If at least 2/3 of the participating countries voted for the adoption of a new member, the applicant can sign the protocol and join the organization. However, in many countries, ratification of this decision by parliament is necessary for it to enter into force.
