The Contribution of Services Liberalisation to Poverty Reduction: What Role for the GATS?

Rolf Adlung

Working Papers from eSocialSciences

Abstract: There are various conceivable links between services liberalization and poverty reduction, including the efficiency effects associated with increased competition in intermediate (infrastructural) services, income transfers generated by workers moving abroad, or the mobilization of private investment for social policy purposes. Arguably the most promising option for interested governments, regardless of complementary moves by trading partners, is the opening of, and creation of favourable investment conditions in, core infrastructural services. However, apart from basic telecommunications, both the Uruguay Round schedules and the offers submitted in the Doha Round to date have remained disappointing in this respect. Given the apparent lack of political impetus in broader-based trade rounds, this article discusses options, in particular from the viewpoint of smaller and poorer participants, how the submission of more meaningful offers could be encouraged.

Keywords: WTO; trade in services; liberalisation of services trade; trading partners; poverty reduction; Economics; Doha Round; Uruguay Round; International Economic Relations; international trade (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2007-08
Note: Institutional Papers
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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