Karl P. Sauvant and Rebecca Chacon Naranjo, “WTO Processes Would Benefit from the Input of Civil Society”, Columbia FDI Perspectives, no. 330, 2 May 2022; also available here in Chinese.
Abstract
WTO agreements involve complex issues. Negotiators would benefit therefore from the practical expertise and experience that civil society can provide, adding also transparency and increasing the acceptability of outcomes. The WTO’s Marrakesh founding document recognized the value of input from civil society and, accordingly, mandated consultation and cooperation with non-governmental organizations. It is high time to take action. The WTO Investment Facilitation for Development Agreement offers an opportunity to institutionalize civil-society input for its implementation. This Perspective uses the OECD’s experience as an example of how the input of civil society can be obtained and institutionalized.