Regional Trade Agreements : Exceptions to the MFN Principle in the GATT/WTO System

The large increase in RTAs since the late 1980's has challenged the foundations of the multilateral trading system, and thereby has become an axis in the GATT/WTOsystem.While RTAs can be seen to be contradictory to the overall aim of the WTO, they were allowed for in Article XXIV of GATT conditional to certain provision. The failure of compliance and subsequently enforcement of these provisions could be seen as a serious flaw of Article XXIV since the inception of GATT system. Many elements of GATT Article XXIV are not clear and thus lead to divergent interpretations of its disciplines. This considerable divergence in opinions arise from both ambiguities throughout the provisions under GATT Article XXIV. In this regard, both economic and legal work is required to keep up with constantly changing nature of the world trading system. Further, global efforts are required to resolve another teething issue of WTO's problematic institutional framework on GATT/WTO's oversight and surveillance of RTAs. and thereby strengthen the multilateral trading system. Needless to say, theGATT/WTOframework has been essential in paving the way for RTAs while ensuring a more multilateral and liberal trading system. Consequently, global efforts should be made to restructure the WTO for the renewed multilateral trade liberalization in the GATT/WTO.