Annex 2 and 3 of the Draft NAMA Text of July 2007: Implications for Bangladesh

The analysis particularly focuses on the possible implications of Annex 2 and Annex 3 of the NAMA modalities for Bangladesh.Annex 2, 3, NAMA, Implications, Bangladesh

Market Access Issues in the Context of the Doha Development Round: Bangladesh’s Interests and Concerns

The paper highlighted how gradual reduction in the tariff barriers aimed to facilitating market access for goods that was at the heart of the GATT process. These reductions were negotiated line by line and attempt was also made to deal with non-tariff barriers (NTBs), elimination of tariffs on certain information technology and pharmaceutical products. The paper is regarding the market access for products of interest to LDC member countries in the WTO such as Bangladesh and a number of outstanding issues could not be adequately addressed during the GATT Uruguay Round. It also provide an overview of some of the more pressing concerns with respect to market access emphasising full implementation of UR commitment, lack of enthusiasm on the part of the developed countries to include in the ongoing negotiations issues relating to market access in services of interest to the developing countries and LDCs, and these concerns were becoming more pronounced for Bangladesh.Market Access, Doha Round, Bangladesh

BANGLADESH-EU DEVELOPMENT RELATIONSHIP: MAJOR FEATURES AND EMERGING ISSUES

The paper looks at the current status of Bangladesh-EU relationship, identifies the salient features of the new Cooperation Agreement and looks at some of the important emerging challenges in the context of the evolving Bangladesh-EU relationship. The paper also focuses on the trends and structure of aid from EU to Bangladesh over the past years and Bangladesh - EU trade relations.WTO, Trade, Globalisation, Cooperation

Proposed Changed to WTO Special and Differential Treatment Provisions: An Analysis from the Perspective of Asian LDCs

Special and differential treatment (S&D) provisions introduced in the GATT and the WTO in support of strengthened global integration of the developing country (DC) and least developed country (LDC) members have come under increasing scrutiny and criticism in recent years. One criticism has been that most of the S&D provisions are weak in their formulations, i.e., are expressed in the form of best endeavour clauses and hence are non-enforceable. The other strand of argument is that that in order for the S&D provisions to be effective and enforceable they ought to be targeted to countries that are in need of them most and be applied not in general, but with discretion, by identifying and targeting select group of developing countries that require a particular type of support most.Special and differential treatment, GATT

REGIONAL CUMULATION FACILITY UNDER EC-GSP:STRATEGIC RESPONSE FROM SHORT AND MEDIUM TERM PERSPECTIVES

In the recent past, the issue of whether Bangladesh should take advantage of the EU-GSP under the regional cumulation (RC) facilities has emerged as a highly contentious one. The interests of the influential export-oriented RMG sector and the emerging textile industries appear to be in direct and immediate conflict over this particular policy choice. Since the matter is related to the strategic interest of the country’s apparel exports in the medium and long-term, it calls for a close scrutiny. The paper candidly has done this scrutiny.Regional Cumulation, Trade and Globalisation, EC-GSP, RMG, Readymade Garment, Bangladesh

THIRD UN CONFERENCE ON THE LDCs: MAKING IT BETTER FOR BANGLADESH

The paper suggests a strategic approach for Bangladesh at the LDC III negotiation process. It also reviews the events leading to the Third UN Conference on the LDCs; documents the global and national contexts in which the conference is taking place; and provides critical perspectives of stakeholders.UN CONFERENCE, LDCs, Bangladesh

WTO General Council Decision of July 31, 2004: Interpreting from Bangladesh Perspective

The present paper titled WTO General Council Decision of July 31, 2004: Interpreting from Bangladesh Perspective was prepared under the CPD’s Trade Policy Analysis (TPA) programme. The TPA programme of CPD was initiated in 1999 in response to a felt need to enhance Bangladesh’s capacity to more effectively deal with the emerging trade issues in the face of deregulation, liberalisation and globalisation. The successful completion of the Uruguay Round Agreement in 1994 and the establishment of the WTO in 1995 was expected to have crucial implications for the LDCs such as Bangladesh. In the 1990s Bangladesh economy was becoming increasingly open and trade related policy making and trade negotiations were assuming critical importance for Bangladesh’s future development. In view of the emerging challenges in the context of the ongoing process of globalisation, the objective of CPD’s Trade Policy Analysis programme is to monitor the impact of the evolving trading regime under the WTO on Bangladesh economy with a view to support trade related capacity building process in the country by strengthening CPD’s institutional capacity in the areas of (a) trade related research, (b) preparation of policy briefs, (c) organisation of dialogues, (d) organisation of workshop and training, (e) strengthening trade related documentation, and (f) trade related publication and networking. The present paper on WTO General Council Decision of July 31, 2004: Interpreting from Bangladesh Perspective has been prepared by Professor Mustafizur Rahman, Research Director of CPD and Dr. Ananya Raihan, Research Fellow of CPD. The paper looks at the salient features of July 31 text, identification of departure of it from the Cancun draft text (progression or regression) from an LDC perspective and to put forward some suggestions as regards issues which Bangladesh could pursue in the course of future negotiations in the run up to the Sixth Ministerial Meeting to be held in Hong Kong by the end of 2005.WTO-General Council, Bangladesh

SEEKING FAIR MARKET ACCESS FOR BANGLADESH APPARELS IN THE USA: A STRATEGIC VIEW

The paper analyses the status of the export oriented Readymade Garments (RMG) sector with implications of the Multi-Fiber Agreement (MFA) and it’s relevance to the US market during the transition. It also focuses on the change in demand from a Bangladesh-US bilateral perspective and puts forward a number of measures which might provide a basis for Bangladesh’s response strategy in its quest to seek fair market access for apparels in the USA.Trade, Market Access, RMG, Readymade Garment, ATC, WTO, Bangladesh

USA Trade and Development Act 2000: A Response from Bangladesh Perspective

The present paper attempts to understand the various ramifications of the US TDA2000, the United States Congress initiated, particularly with respect to Bangladesh. The paper lays out the backdrop of the issue, various provisions of the US TDA2000, reviews the implications of the Act for Bangladesh and puts forward a number of measures which might provide a basis for Bangladesh’s response strategy to the US TDA2000.Trade, Trade Development Act, Bangladesh

Bangladesh Apparels Export to the US Market - An Examination of Her Competitiveness vis-à-vis China

The rise of China has major repercussions for a country such as Bangladesh which has emerged as an important player in the global apparels market. True, the global pie in apparels trade is expected to expand considerably in view of the increase in demand, and also on account of the envisaged closure of large number of apparels/textile unit in the developed countries (mostly lower-end apparels/textile segment which were likely to become a sunset sector) and there will be space for more than one player. Evidently, impact and implications of competition from China will have to be examined and scrutinized at country level and for disaggregated items of apparels (since the impact for particular countries will be felt only at the disaggregated product level). It needs to be mentioned here that an earlier paper by the CPD has looked into the possible implications of Chinas rise in the context of the EU market. This particular paper will try to analyse the aforesaid issues as they relate to the US market.Bangladesh, Apparels Exports, Competetiveness, China, US market