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PRESS RELEASE: PRESS/TPRB/297

TRADE POLICY REVIEW:

Strong growth which a more predictable trade regime could help sustain

Since 2002, Madagascar’s economy has recorded sustained real growth at an annual average rate of 6.2 per cent, attributed in particular to trade liberalization reforms, and boosted primarily by the expansion of industrial activities, construction, financial services, telecommunications and transport, according to a WTO Secretariat report on the trade policies and practices of Madagascar.

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This performance would improve with a more transparent, credible and predictable trade regime that can be achieved by stronger multilateral commitments by Madagascar through extension of its tariff bindings to more non-agricultural products, lower bound rates and stronger GATS commitments. A reform of the taxation system, to respect the principle of national treatment, would add consistency to Madagascar’s trade regime.

Such an improved climate would help Madagascar to attract the capital needed to exploit its vast potential and derive greater benefit from its participation in the multilateral trading system. The international community could give Madagascar more help in its reform efforts by responding favourably to its request for technical assistance.

The WTO Secretariat report, along with a policy statement by the Government of Madagascar, will be the basis for the second TPR of Madagascar by the Trade Policy Review Body of the WTO on 2 and 4 April 2008.

The WTO report, along with a policy statement by the Government, will be the basis for the Trade Policy Review (TPR) by the Trade Policy Review Body of the WTO.

The following documents are available in MS Word format.

• Secretariat report
  > Contents and summary observations
  > Economic environment
  > Trade and investment regimes
  > Trade policies and practices by measure
  > Trade policies by sector
  > Appendix tables
    
• Government report
    

Note  back to top

Trade Policy Reviews are an exercise, mandated in the WTO agreements, in which member countries’ trade and related policies are examined and evaluated at regular intervals. Significant developments that may have an impact on the global trading system are also monitored. For each review, two documents are prepared: a policy statement by the government of the member under review, and a detailed report written independently by the WTO Secretariat. These two documents are then discussed by the WTO’s full membership in the Trade Policy Review Body (TPRB). These documents and the proceedings of the TPRB’s meetings are published shortly afterwards.

Print copies of previous TPR publications are available for sale from the WTO Secretariat, Centre William Rappard, 154 rue de Lausanne, 1211 Genève 21 and through the on-line bookshop.

The TPR publications are also available from our co-publisher Bernan Press, 4611-F Assembly Drive, Lanham, MD 20706-4391, United States.

Schedule of forthcoming reviews  back to top

Mauritius: 23 and 25 April 2008
China: 21 and 23 May 2008
United States: 9 and 11 June 2008

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