ECOSOC And GATT

ECOSOC and GATT in Global Commerce Policy

In this regard, a definition of this issue is as follows: the Charter of the United Nations gave ECOSOC a range of responsibilities in international economic and social cooperation, including the ability to call international conferences on matters falling within its competence. The United States, the main power in the immediate post-war years promoting multilateral trade agreements, accordingly proposed that ECOSOC should convene what became the United Nations Conference on Trade and Employment. The United States distinguished, however, between the aims of establishing an international trade organization and the negotiation of a multilateral tariff agreement. This was because it derived its mandate for negotiating the tariff agreement from the Reciprocal Trade Agreements Act of 1934 which did not envisage the establishment of any permanent institution for the oversight of international trade. The entries on trade policy in the Encyclopedia are here. Once ECOSOC had passed the resolution calling for a conference, it effectively was given no further role in the negotiations. From its inception, the GATT therefore was virtually independent of the United Nations system. This principle has been carried forward into the WTO. The entries on trade policy in the Encyclopedia are here. Of course, the WTO has a close working relationship with many United Nations bodies. See also United States Reciprocal Trade Agreements Program.[1]

ECOSOC and GATTin the wold Encyclopedia

For an introductory overview on international trade policy, see this entry.

Resources

Notes and References

1. Dictionary of Trade Policy, “ECOSOC and GATT” entry (OAS)

See Also