Value Chains and WTO Disputes

As economic populism and protectionism increasingly threatens the global trade order, this book examines the behavior of World Trade Organization (WTO) members at the judicial arm of the WTOthe dispute settlement mechanism (DSM). The author explores why and when governments cooperate at the WTO and comply with the ruling of its panels, focusing on how the growth of global value chains through the internationalization of trade and production has increased the importance of both trade liberalization and supra-national governance and policy-making. Finding that domestic organized interestsi.e. firms and sectorsmobilize and lobby national governments to change their domestic policies to better harmonize with their international trade commitments, the author outlines how the time it takes to comply with adverse WTO rulings is shorter when the potential domestic costs of non-compliance outweigh protectionist interests. The author's innovative research design highlights the conditions under which the WTO can preserve the rules of international trade and support a more open, global economy.

Outlines why and when governments comply with the rulings of the World Trade Organization Examines how the growth of global value chains has increased timely compliance Suggests implications for future policy-making in international trade

Autorentext

Aydin Baris Yildirim is a Marie Sk odowska-Curie Fellow at the World Trade Institute, Bern, Switzerland.

Inhalt
1.Introduction.- 2. Theorizing cooperation in international trade and the WTO DSM.- 3. Explaining patterns of WTO member behavior at the WTO dispute settlement.- 4. Firms, coalitions, and WTO disputes: Domestic private actors in the WTO.- 5. Conclusions