08.08.2015 Views

Economic Report of the President 1994 - The American Presidency ...

Economic Report of the President 1994 - The American Presidency ...

Economic Report of the President 1994 - The American Presidency ...

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

development, and environmental cleanup, provided <strong>the</strong>y are subjectto conditions designed to limit <strong>the</strong>ir distorting effects.Negotiators were able to agree on comprehensive GATT rulesgoverning trade and investment in services (<strong>the</strong> so-called GeneralAgreement on Trade in Services, or GATS), such as telecommunications,pr<strong>of</strong>essional, and financial services. <strong>The</strong> agreement containsa strong national-treatment provision: Member countriesmust accord to service suppliers <strong>of</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r countries treatment noless favorable than that accorded <strong>the</strong>ir own suppliers. GATS alsoincludes a market access provision that incorporates disciplines ondiscriminatory measures that governments frequently impose tolimit competition. <strong>The</strong>se measures include restrictions on <strong>the</strong> number<strong>of</strong> firms allowed into <strong>the</strong> market, "economic need" tests, andmandatory local incorporation rules. Because <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> breadth andcomplexity <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se issues, not as much progress was made as wasdesirable. To realize additional progress, GATS establishes a proceduralframework for fur<strong>the</strong>r negotiation.<strong>The</strong> Uruguay Round negotiations also yielded systematic prohibitionson trade-related investment measures. For example, <strong>the</strong>agreement prohibits so-called local content requirements, whichforce foreign firms to use a set amount <strong>of</strong> locally produced inputsas a condition for investment. It also prohibits "trade balancing" requirements,under which a foreign affiliate must export as much <strong>of</strong>its production as it imports for use as inputs. <strong>The</strong>se requirementshave bedeviled U.S. firms operating abroad in <strong>the</strong> past.Lastly, <strong>the</strong> Uruguay Round agreement prohibits so-called voluntaryexport restraints and o<strong>the</strong>r, similar measures that are <strong>of</strong>tenused as safeguards outside GATT rules. It also provides specifictime limits for <strong>the</strong> formation and operation <strong>of</strong> dispute settlementpanels and requires <strong>the</strong> automatic adoption <strong>of</strong> panel reports (exceptin <strong>the</strong> case <strong>of</strong> unanimous veto). Previously, any country, including<strong>the</strong> country against which <strong>the</strong> complaint was lodged, could effectivelyblock <strong>the</strong> implementation <strong>of</strong> a panel's decision. <strong>The</strong> new procedureswill greatly expedite <strong>the</strong> resolution <strong>of</strong> international tradedisputes. <strong>The</strong> members <strong>of</strong> GATT agreed to establish a new multilateralorganization, to be called <strong>the</strong> World Trade Organization(WTO), to enforce <strong>the</strong>se new agreements.In summary, <strong>the</strong> U.S. negotiators in <strong>the</strong> Uruguay Round weresuccessful in negotiating broad-ranging multilateral trade liberalization.This was accomplished by reducing existing barriers andbringing areas <strong>of</strong> trade that had been largely outside <strong>the</strong> GATTsystem, such as agriculture, textiles, intellectual property, andservices, under <strong>the</strong> GATT rubric. At <strong>the</strong> same time, GATT procedureshave been streng<strong>the</strong>ned to ensure that signatories meet <strong>the</strong>irobligations, without compromising our ability to implement our nationaltrade or o<strong>the</strong>r laws (Box 6-6). <strong>The</strong> liberalization <strong>of</strong> global236

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!