INTRODUCTION. 153 countries (or customs territories) are now members of the World Trade Organization (WTO)

153 countries (or customs territories) are now members of the World Trade Organization (WTO). The more the number of WTO members grows, the more important it becomes for a developing country (DC) or a Least Developed Country (LDC) to participate effectively in the negotiations conducted in the framework of this organization. It is so because WTO rules have an important impact on developed and developing countriesХ international economic policies.

However, participating in multilateral trade negotiations[1] can be a challenge for DCs and LDCs, not only because of the negotiating power asymmetry among actors, but also due to the financial and human resources that are required to face more experienced and staffed delegations.

The outcome of a negotiation for a medium- or small-size actor depends to a great extent on the skills of its negotiating team. As their limited political and economic weight does not allow these countries to reverse or substantively modify the decisions agreed upon in the negotiating process at later stage, improving trade negotiating capacities (substantive expertise, knowledge of negotiating techniques and procedures) should become a primary objective of policy-makers in the developing world.

This module hopes to fill a gap in literature related to international trade negotiations. Despite the wide range of books covering the issue of negotiations, there is very little on the specific case of multilateral trade negotiations. Literature dealing with substantive issues mentions only marginally the question of negotiating skills, and most of the literature on negotiating skills focuses on business negotiations with few parties, fixed interests and alternatives. This might be useful side-reading for civil servants and officials, but it will not respond to their concrete needs in the distinctive context of multilateral trade negotiations. These are indeed among the most complex negotiations ever undertaken, with an important impact on development through their economic and trading consequences, and legal implications.

In view of the diversity and complexity of multilateral trade negotiations, and putting aside inborn abilities that can also exist, it is an illusion to count solely on a Тnatural talent to negotiateУ. Nobody is born a good negotiator, he/she becomes one. Negotiating is a skill that is acquired through practice as well as by developing oneХs substantive knowledge, learning techniques and implementing strategies. Those not skilled in negotiation might get less than they deserve or think they deserve, perhaps significantly less. As Michael Watkins, Professor at the Harvard University, rightly pointed out Тyou donХt get what you deserve, you get what you negotiate[2] (Watkins, 2002)У. The importance of acquiring negotiating as well as substantive skills is therefore undeniable.

In its first chapter, the training module will provide the theoretical background on negotiations necessary to decode and interpret many of the tactical moves of your partners/adversaries. We will in particular examine the respective patterns of collaborative and competitive strategies. We will also look at the role that a mediator can play in a negotiation.

In the second chapter, we will review in detail the structure, process, rules and principles of the multilateral negotiations and its main forum, the WTO. One cannot hope to become an active actor of the negotiations, if one does not first acquire detailed knowledge and understanding of the system.

The third chapter of the module will present several negotiating tools DCs and LDCs should take into consideration when preparing and conducting their negotiations.

This training module is intended as an introduction to the multilateral trading system and its negotiations. It aims at providing you with relevant information to understand the context in which these negotiations are conducted. The objective is also to highlight a number of negotiating tools useful from a developing countryХs point of view.

Дата добавления: 2015-07-20