Institutionalizing Aid for Trade under the WTO Regime: The "EU Strategy" and Role of the EU

Aid for Trade (AfT) initiative was launched in the WTO Hong Kong Ministerial Conference of 2005 as a new and non-traditional approach to deal with development dimension under the WTO. The EU is perhaps the most noteworthy key player in the process of AfT institutionalization. In response to the WTO initiative, the EU promptly adopted a comprehensive AfT policy framework - the EU Strategy on AfT of 2007, which reasserts the EU's funding commitments, clarifies its objectives and orientations, as well as provides working principles for effectively operating AfT. The EU Strategy serves many purposes. It demonstrates both the EU's will and knowledge to play a role in promoting AfT. And it is used by the EU negotiators as a tool to enhance its role as a supporter, designer and subject of test in AfT institutionalization. The EU's experience in Cotonou Agreement improves its credibility as a forerunner and role model of AfT under the WTO. And ”the Strategy” provides a checklist for annual monitoring. The EU's resources and efforts in AfT have been concentrated on facilitating EPAs with the ACP countries to solve the EU's own problems with its trade and development policy. It is therefore advisable that the EU should cautiously balance its own trade and development goals with the WTO's objectives as conceived in the Hong Kong Declaration.

並列關鍵字

WTO ； EU ； Aid for Trade ； development ； institutionalization

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