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It is in the “Uruguay Round” that the negotiation about WTO setting up single-undertaking was carried out and it is the last negotiation of General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade too. " Uruguay Round " is a “single-undertaking” talk held for establishing World Trade Organization formally. It is the longest talk which lasted for 8 years and is also the most complicated and difficult talk in General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.
First, the background of “Uruguay Round”
The former 7 negotiations have reduced the tariffs of every contracting party greatly and have promoted the development of international trade. But since 1970s, especially after entering1980s, the trade protectionism rose again whicn is characterized as bilateral restriction in quantity, market dismember and various non-tariff trade barriers. In order to contain a new line of trade protectionism, avoid the emergence of competition of overall trade, contracting parties such as U.S.A., Japan have advocated initiating this MTN (Multilateral trade negotiation) together, and were determined to turn back the current situation and set up a more open one, energetic and lasting multilateral trade system. In September 1986, General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade conference of ministerial level was held in Uruguay, so the 8th round of negotiation is called “Uruguay Round “.
Second, the goals and topics of “Uruguay Round”
Through the hard bargain of more than 7 years, this negotiation was concluded in Marrakech of Morocco on April 15, 1994. The main goals of this Uruguay Round talks were definitude as follows:
1,In order to benefit contracting parties, especially the interests of the undeveloped contracting party, improve the condition of entering the market, further expand world commerce through reducing and canceling tariff, restriction in quantity, other non-tariff measure and barrier,.
2, Strengthen the function of General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, improve the multilateral trade system set up on the principle of General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, putting broader world commerce under the unified, effective multilateral rule.
3, Increase the adaptive capacity of the system of General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade to the international economic environment, especially promote the essential structural adjustment, and strengthen the connection of General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade with the international organization.
4, Promote international and domestic cooperation in order to strengthen the inner connection of trade policy with other economic policies.
The topic that Uruguay Round negotiates Include: the traditional goods trade and new topics.
The traditional topic includes tariffs, non-tariff measure, tropical products, natural resources products, fabrics and clothes, agricultural product, premium clause. The new topic involves service trade, TRIMS (Trade-related investment measures) and TRIPS (Trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights).
Third, the functions of “Uruguay Round” talks
1, GATT has promoted the liberation of international trade after war
Through all previous MTN (Multilateral trade negotiation), imported customs tariff is reduced by a large margin in the range of contracting party of General Agreement. General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade made the range of liberalization of trade expand and cut down the restriction on international trade of the non-tariff trade barriers through forbidding restriction in quantity and the agreements and rules of non-tariff trade barriers reached in " The Tokyo Round ".
2, GATT has relaxed the contradiction of each sides of internal and external
General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade has relaxed the contradiction of every contracting party at first; Secondly, it has relaxed the contradictions of the developed country and developing country
3, it has set up a set of criterions of international trade for the contracting parties
“Uruguay Round " marks that General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade has already spouted into a new stage. Its negotiation range and multilateral rule have already been expanded from the traditional field of goods trade to new fields such as service trade, and the progress of global economic integration demands to set up a global multilateral trade organization ---World Trade Organization.
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