The Uruguay Round and the Developing Countries

The fifteen years of the GATT between the conclusion of the Tokyo Round in 1979 and the finalisation of the Uruguay Round in 1994 witnessed a sea change in attitudes toward the role of international trade in developing countries. The shift in orientation toward relatively open trading systems was reflected in the attitudes and participation of developing countries in the Uruguay Round. They involved themselves fully in formulating the rules of the new trading system, and also made significant offers to reduce tariff protection. This volume provides an assessment of the economic impact of the Uruguay Round of the GATT on the developing countries. The authors, all leading international trade economists, examine all aspects of the agreement and conclude that the cuts in protection should strengthen the world trading system and result in increases in the real incomes in developing countries.