IDEAS Centre’s assistance in

WTO accession and post-accession
Our Projects

Since 2002, IDEAS Centre has accumulated substantial experience in dealing with WTO accession.

Since 2002, IDEAS Centre has accumulated substantial experience in dealing with WTO accession. The Centre currently assists Serbia in its accession process and has provided accession-related support to Lao PDR (2006-2013), Montenegro (2005-2012) and Vietnam (2002-2007) until their accession to the WTO as well as Liberia (2012), Lebanon and Tajikistan (2005-2011). The Centre has also implemented post-accession projects in Lao PDR and Montenegro following the completion of their accession processes.

In general, the Centre provides support to the beneficiary country throughout the accession process y(preparation of accession documents, support in bilateral, plurilateral and multilateral negotiations,  policy and legal advice to achieve WTO compliance in line with country’s development interests, capacity  building and institutional reform, background analysis, etc.) and discusses with the acceding Government its concerns and constraints. The Centre helps identify the country’s needs in terms of the process, organization, timing and assistance.

Competencies and typical activities

IDEAS Centre is able to perform all kinds of assistance activities related to the accession process, either independently or with the help of outside experts. The major activities displayed below are indicative and implemented depending on the needs and priorities of the beneficiary.

Assistance in providing answers to questions of WTO Members at the Working Party meeting

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Providing comments to draft submissions to the WTO and on WTO-related legislation. Explaining the comments and reactions of WTO members to the documents

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Producing analytical papers on the issues which block negotiations aimed at presenting the government the background behind requests of the members

Providing opportunity to the officials from the negotiating team to take part in English courses in order to increase their understanding of WTO meetings and questions posed by members

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Comparing offers as well as commitment language with the negotiated results achieved by similar recently acceded countries

Assistance in producing the offers in services and goods

Assisting the permanent mission in Geneva to execute its work in liaising between the capital and WTO (members and the secretariat). Assistance in establishing the mission (if required)

Involving the private sector, academia, media and parliamentarians as separate project components into the accession related assistance. Involvement and support of key stakeholders in the accession country is essential ingredient for making sure that the process receives enough backing and that negotiators could claim ownership over the process. Depending on the need different components are elaborated and executed with local partners (parliament, chamber of commerce, sectoral industry associations, media, academia, etc.)

Organising seminars to address key issues which block the negotiating process. Seminars are used as an input in the coaching of officials and providing the policy advice on how to address the issues

Preparing the participation at the Working Party meetings: gathering views of Members of the Working Party before and after the meeting, assistance in preparing the bilateral negotiations and the multilateral meeting. Strategy sessions are being held with clients before and after each important meeting

Awareness raising seminars with key stakeholders are executed to prepare them for the effects of trade liberalisation

Specific high level seminars for politicians and media are being developed to explain the meaning and impact of WTO membership

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Assistance in preparing the documentation required by the Working Party on various sectors (agriculture and domestic support, customs valuation, TRIPS, SPS, TBT, subsidies, STEs, etc.)

Providing policy and negotiating advice on economic and trade reforms needed in the country to achieve compliance with WTO agreements

Organising four-month traineeship programme at IDEAS Centre for more advanced trade officials. The training program consists of attending WTO meetings and coaching component. The trainee is able to continue performing duties performed at the ministry. The Traineeship is often planned to coincide with the Working Party meetings, so that the trainee can be fully involved into planning and organising the meeting from the Geneva perspective

Our Projects

Serbia accession

THE PROJECT Timeline: 2003 - PresentDonor: Switzerland (SECO)Beneficiary: Serbia Serbia started its independent process of accession to the World...

Lao PDR post-accession

THE PROJECT Timeline: 2014 - 2017 Donors: Switzerland (SECO) Beneficiary: Lao PDR Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR) became the 158th member of...

Liberia accession

THE PROJECT Timeline: 2012, 2015 Donor: Switzerland (SECO), SIDA Beneficiary: Liberia The Republic of Liberia submitted its application to accede to...

Montenegro accession and post-accession

THE PROJECT Timeline: 2005 - 2014 Donor: Switzerland (SECO) Beneficiary: Montenegro (Ministry of Economy)  The Socialist Federal Republic of...

Lao PDR accession

THE PROJECT Timeline: 2007 - 2013Donor: Switzerland (SECO)Beneficiary: Lao PDR Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR) is the last country from South...

LDC accession to the WTO

THE PROJECT Timeline: 2011 - 2012Donor: Switzerland (SECO)Beneficiary: LDCs Background Accession to the WTO provides an opportunity for countries to...

Lebanon accession

THE PROJECT Timeline: 2002 - 2011Donor: Switzerland (SECO)Beneficiary: Lebanon  Shortly after independence in 1943, Lebanon acceded to the GATT as a...

Tajikistan accession

THE PROJECT Timeline: 2005 - 2011 Donor: Switzerland (SECO) Beneficiary: Tajikistan Tajikistan submitted its application for membership to the World...

Viet Nam accession

THE PROJECT Timeline: 2002 - 2007 Donor: Switzerland (SECO) Beneficiary: Viet Nam The Vietnamese Government applied for World Trade Organisation...