A survey on decision making in the WTO

Abstract A Survey on Decision-Making in the WTO Sakir Dincsahin Master of Arts Department of Economics Institute of Social Sciences Yeditepe University 2004 This thesis attempts to analyze the decision-making process in the World Trade Or ganization. In the first part, a theoretical framework is established which comprises the study of international collective action, decision-making rules and decision-making styles in international organizations. The thesis first illustrates the need for interna tional public goods which leads to the establishment of international organizations. Then, it argues that international organizations should make decisions binding over member countries in order to ensure an optimal level of production of international public goods. This argument led to the study of decision-making rules which re quire unanimity, simple majority, qualified majority and weighted majority. How ever, studying these decision-making rules does not suffice for the comprehension of decision-making process in international organizations. In addition to the rules, the mode of relations between states should also be taken into consideration. Power and coercion, bargaining, and problem solving are, therefore, introduced as the three cat egories of decision-making styles. In the second part, this framework is applied to the decision-making process in the World Trade Organization. Promotion of peace and stability, surveillance of world trade, and trade liberalization are found to be the reasons of international collective action which led to the establishment of the WTO. Besides, the analysis of decision-making rules illustrated that consensus-based decision-making curtains other decision-making rules. Finally, studying the decision making styles through the cases of 'TRIPs', 'Bargaining Coalitions in Cancun Minis terial Meeting' and 'the Banana Dispute' revealed the significance of power relations between and among the WTO members.