Trade Policy. Trade Law. Trade Economics.

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Our approach is demand- driven and highly flexible. We act either through WTI Advisors as an implementing body or as individual experts. We work in English, French, German, Arabic and Spanish.

 

Projects and Products include, for example:

 

Trade Negotiations- We provide support (advice, analysis, training, coaching, direct in-room support) to governments and other stakeholders in the context of multilateral, regional and bilateral negotiations for example:

• Support to the CARICOM Office of Trade Negotiations (OTN) on the preparation of a goods offer in the CARICOM- Canada FTA negotiations

• Comprehensive direct support to the ACP Delegations in Geneva in the Doha Development Agenda negotiations

• Support to the LDC Group on the LDC Services Waiver negotiations in the WTO

• Support to the African Group in the DDA Negotiations on Trade Facilitation

• Assistance to the Palestinian government and stakeholders in bilateral trade negotiations with the EC (EuroMed) and beyond

• Regular reporting on current WTO developments in the Doha Development Agenda negotiations and dispute settlement for a Japanese trade association

 

Trade Policy Formulation and Implementation of Measures- We provide advice, consultations and drafting support, for example:

 

• Advice to the Ministry of Trade and Industry in Nigeria on the reform of its Trade Policy

• Advice to an African government on trade in services under both WTO and a future EPA 

• Consultations with Vietnam’s Office of the Government on post- accession implementation and policy formulation

• Preparation of trade- related draft legislation for several governments

 

Studies and Opinions- We conduct studies and provide opinions on trade- related issues, for example:

 

• A multi-part analysis cum advice for/to UEMOA (West African Monetary Union) and its member states on updating needs assessments on Trade Facilitation (for the World Bank) 

• A study on the establishment of a comprehensive Trade in Services Database for Kosovo

• A research paper on the rationale and operation (or not) of GATT Article XXIV in particular in North- South FTA negotiations 

• A major study on trade aspects of climate change policies for a WTO Member

• A series of studies on trade- related aspects of the EPAs for the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development

• A major study for the Swiss SECO on trade- related academic capacity building in the Mekong, Southern Africa and Andean regions

• Opinions for the Universal Postal Union on trade in postal services and on aspects of an envisage internal reform

• Studies on non- tariff barriers for the Stability Pact of Southern and Eastern Europe

• A comparative analysis on provisions in existing WTO agreements regarding special and differential treatment, as a contribution to the debate on cross- cutting issues in the context of the DDA negotiations on trade facilitation- commissioned by UNCTAD

 

Trainings, Workshops, Stakeholder Consultation- We conduct tailor- made trainings, workshops and moderated stakeholder consultations, spanning from general introductions to highly specialized events and from three- day workshops to three-months courses, for example:

 

• Training of Palestinian government and private sector “Trade in Services Units” on services policy, regulation and agreements

• Training of officials from the Kenyan Ministry of Foreign Affairs on WTO rules and EPA negotiations

• Tailor- made training workshop for Nepalese officials on post- accession issues

• Compact tailor-made consultative workshops on WTO law, policy and economics in the context of accession for Palestinian and Bhutanese delegations

• A series of post- accession workshops for officials and stakeholders in Cambodia (SPS, TBT, services)

• Training of government officials in Tanzania (WTO dispute settlement)

• Training of government officials and GTZ project staff from Central Asian countries (trade facilitation and customs reform)

• Comprehensive three- months trade policy course for ten Vietnamese officials at the WTI 

• Trainings for government officials and private sector representatives in Suriname and Grenada on various aspects of the EC- CARIFORUM EPA

• Training of government officials and trade lawyers from ECOWAS countries on WTO and EPA rules related to preferential trade arrangements, rules of origin and TBT

 

WTO Accessions- We provide assistance to governments and other stakeholders of acceding countries (in the past for example Afghanistan, several Arab countries including Palestine, Bhutan, Commonwealth Countries including The Bahamas, Serbia, Uzbekistan) on matters such as:

• Obtaining observership status

• Preparation of the “Memorandum of the Foreign Trade Regime”

• Drafting of specific accession- related legislation and action plans

• Help in “Questions and Replies” process and management of the Working Party process 

• Bilateral market access negotiations in goods and services

• Training of negotiators

• Domestic awareness raising and stakeholder consultations

• Managing post- accession processes and reforms

 

Dispute Settlement- We advise and represent clients in the context of WTO dispute settlement proceedings, such as, the ACP countries as third parties in EC- Bananas, or the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) in the EC Seals case. Members of our team also advised clients, for example, in the context of Thailand- Stell; Korea-Dairy; and EC-Sugar. Together with our friends at ICTDS we host the regular event series “Talking Disputes” in Geneva.