M.B.A. DEGREE EXAMINATION, APRIL 2017
Fourth Semester
WTO CONSTITUTION AND OPERATIONS
(CBCS 2013 onwards)
Time 3 Hours Maximum 75 Marks
Part A x 3 15)
Answer all questions.
All questions carry equal marks
1. Enumerate any three functions of WTO.
2. What are the three boxes in Agriculture Agreement?
3. What is Dumping?
4. Define intellectual property.
5. How do you define the term ''trade-related investment
measures"
Part B x 10 50)
Answer all questions, choosing either or
All questions carry equal marks
6. Tabulate the principal differences between GATT
and WTO.
Or
Discuss the significance of Doha Ministerial
Conference, 2001.
Sub. Code
652504
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7. What is the objective of market access and what
useful purpose does it serve?
Or
Bring out the salient features sanitary and
phytosanitary measures agreement.
8. Explain briefly the three basic categories of
subsidies created by SCM Agreement.
Or
Describe the significance of 'rules of origin' under
WTO system for ensuring fair international trade.
9. Enumerate the various provisions of GATS
regarding services.
Or
Discuss the status of TRIPS agreement in the
multilateral trading system.
10. Enumerate the exceptions to National Treatment
Rule (GATT Article III).
Or
Critically evaluate whether TRIMs addresses the
issues related to climate change and sustainable
development.
Part C x 10 10)
Compulsory
11. Read the following case and answer the questions.
One of the banners one saw during the demonstration at
Seattle, Washington, USA, proclaimed the WTO was not
the World Trade Organization but the 'Wrong Trade
organisation'. It was the Wrong Trade Organization
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because it involved itself with trade which (as the
protestors saw it) spoilt the environment and promoted
unacceptable working conditions for labourers in the poor
countries. In the face of it, the charge is clearly not
acceptable, but then, do the demonstrations have a point
at all?
The Seattle demonstrators said that in large parts of the
developing world, the production of goods that ultimately
generated higher trade figures rested on unsatisfactory
working conditions. Their point was that the WTO was
not doing anything to ensure that such production did not
enter the stream of globally traded items.
Since trade (being only one part of pure economic
activity) cannot set the standards either in labour or the
environment, the WTO should not get into these spheres
of activity but should restrict itself policing international
trading activity, taking as given, the prevailing labour
and environment standards.
It can also be argued that since not much effective work
is being done in both the labour and environment spheres
by way of tightening up on standards by the different
international forums currently engaged in the task-the
International Labour Organization, and so on-there is no
alternative but to tighten the screw of these related
aspects of trade activity within the WTO itself.
There are some who will argue that the entire effort to
involve the WTO with the labour and environment
aspects of trade and environment aspects of trade is
actually a part of the larger effort by some developed
countries to reduce the comparative advantage which
poor countries enjoy by way of lower overall production
costs, which makes their products cheaper in the world
market.
If this is correct, then the point needs to be emphasized
that the WTO is the right trade organization, which is
being sought to be influenced and controlled by the wrong
sort people.
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Questions
What are the basic limitations of World Trade
Organization?
Why is the World Trade Organization Called 'Wrong
Trade organisation?
How does WTO affect India, particularly in
agriculture and in labour aspects?
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