§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the effect of reductions in barriers to non-agricultural goods on(a) developed countries and (b) developing countries. [146614]
§ Hilary BennThe WTO negotiations on non-agricultural market access have yet to reach agreement with several countries having submitted proposals. Although this makes assessment of the implications for developed and developing countries difficult, most studies concur that reductions in tariffs could bring significant benefits. A recent UNCTAD1 study estimated that a reduction in barriers to non-agricultural goods will lead to an increase in global welfare of between $20 billion and $40 billion. A substantial majority of these gains are expected to go to developing countries, with welfare in developed countries remaining virtually unchanged.
1Laird, S., Cordoba, F., Vanzetti, D. (2003) Market Access Proposals for Non-Agricultural Products. UNCTAD.