Towards new market access cooperation

Since the 1970s, non-reciprocal trade preferences (NRTPs) have supported developing countries’ export growth and diversification. Today, the NRTPs stand at a crossroads. The new UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) publication, Trade Preferences Outlook 2024, demonstrates how the effectiveness of preferential tariffs diminished as a tool to foster exports as MFN tariffs have fallen, free trade agreements (FTAs) have proliferated, and non-tariff measures have become more prevalent.

Drawing on the findings of the report, and in view of the fact that some Asian LDCs are among the major beneficiaries of trade preference schemes, the session will examine the stakes of trade preferences for the economies in the region, and future actions necessary for enhancing their development impact, including by extending market access cooperation beyond tariffs.

Key Questions

• Does the current set-up of NRTPs remain effective in responding to market access challenges facing developing countries?
• What can be a new paradigm for “market access cooperation” beyond tariff preferences that would better help address constraints facing developing country exports and foster sustainable development?