WTO in Seattle

Paper Summary:

This paper examines critically the disagreements over international trade issues which led to the failure of the trade negotiations at the November 30-December 3, 1999 meeting of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Seattle, Washington. It discusses how the 134 trade ministers who met in Seattle failed to agree on further liberalization of the global trading system because of substantive differences among the developed nations and between them and the less developed countries (LDCs) over a wide range of issues. It analyzes how the anti-WTO demonstrations, marches and sporadic violence outside the convention center where delegates to the WTO conference met did not cause those disagreements, but how the debacle in Seattle reflected the growing political strength of the forces of economic nationalism which has arrested progress toward further reduction in international trade barriers.

From the Paper:

"One reason the conference failed was that it was hastily arranged without pre-agreement among any of the participants even as to the items to be placed on the agenda of the conference. The term of the previous director general of WTO, an Italian, Renato Ruggiero, ended on April 30, 1999. Between then and September a debilitating struggle over his successor ensued. Japan and most Third World members supported the candidacy of Thai Supachai Pantichpakdi while the United States and the European Union (EU) favored Michael Moore, a former Prime Minister of New Zealand, who was ultimately selected, but did not take office until after September 1. The Economist said that "preparations for Seattle started later and little common ground was found." Barchefsky was preoccupied with the WTO negotiations with the PRC and other trade disputes."

More papers on WTO in Seattle:

• Essay # 24220 : "World Trade Organization (WTO) Protests"
• Essay # 27949 : "The Seattle Impact"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: