Prosperity For All? Reflecting on the MFA Complex¹ After Marrakech

Trade liberalisation in the garment industry: Who is really benefiting?

“…Investment has been mainly from Germany, and more recently Italy, Sweden, and Austria. In fact, the first wave of liberalisation appears to be in line with Eastern European exports rather than Asian exports to Europe (Spinager 1995), an indication of how political considerations affect the actual pattern of the phase-out. The bulk of investment into the area is in Poland, Romania, Hungary, and the Czech Republic.…”

Give Us Virtue, But Not Yet: Safegaurd Actions Under the Agreement on Textiles and Clothing

“…The ATC also stipulates that: consensus within the TMB does not require the assent or concurrence of members appointed by Members involved in an unresolved issue under review by the TMB (Article 7.2). 10 8 See also Majmudar (1996) and Spinanger (1995). 9 In January 1995, the General Council of the WTO decided that TMB members would represent the following constituencies: ASEAN member countries; Canada and Switzerland; Pakistan and China; European Union; Hong Kong and Korea; India and Egypt/Morocco/Tunisia; Japan; Latin America and the Caribbean; the United States; and Norway, Turkey, Czech Republic/Hungary/ Poland/Romania, and Slovak Republic.…”

“…Some authors (e.g. Spinanger, 1995;and Baughman et al, 1997) have been very pessimistic about the ATC, even concluding that importing countries might renege on their commitments altogether. Baughman et al (1997) cite the use of ATC safeguard measures to support such a view.…”

Of Tyre Cords, Ties and Tents: Window‐Dressing in the ATC?

“…One major exception was Germany, which began an expansion in the second half of the 1980s. For details see Spinanger (1995). pay attention to crafting an import liberalisation programme.…”

“…In a measure that could be interpreted as underlining its credibility in liberalising T&C quotas, the EU updated and ratified legislation permitting offshore processing trade (OPT), albeit not without dissent and some changes visà-vis prevailing regulations (see, e.g., Spinanger, 1995). This legislation promotes adjustment by domestic producers to increased imports following elimination of quotas and thus facilitates fulfilling ATC obligations.…”