Title: Effects of WTO Accession on Policy-making in Sovereign States: Preliminary Lessons from the Recent Experience of Transition Countries
Abstract: One of the most remarkable success es of the World Trade Organization in recent years has been the expansion of WTO Membership and the continued stream of applications of countries to accede to the WTO. Of the 43 countries that have applied to accede the WTO under Article XII since January I, 1995, approximately one half are countries in the process of trans ition from a planned to a market economy. Ten of the 14 countries that have already completed their accession process and between 9 and 13 countries —depending on whether East Asian countries are included or not — of the 28 countries negotiating their accession are trans ition countries. Clearly, the WTO represents a powerful attraction for countries in transition (CIT) which treat their WTO membership as a "stamp of approval" of their policies and the admission into the international community — a feat quite important for CrT that have been isolated from world markets for more 50 years.