Highlights

This paper discusses developments in the textiles and clothing trade since the expiry of the Agreement on Textiles and Clothing (ATC), including the implications of the Non Agricultural Market Access (NAMA) negotiations under the on-going Doha Round of the Multilateral Trade Negotiations.

This changing environment has indeed altered the patterns of world trade in textiles, which implies serious economic consequences for various developing countries.

The first section of the document reviews post-ATC performances of developing countries and least developed countries (LDCs), and discusses post-ATC developments in the area of international trade policy.

It is followed by a second section highlighting new challenges and opportunities of the NAMA negotiations for the textiles and clothing sector in developing countries and LDCs. In this context, it addresses the issue of "non-preferred" and "preferred" countries that divides them in the NAMA negotiations.

The third section of the study discusses other issues affecting textiles and clothing trade such as rules of origin, GSP, social clause, corporate social responsibility and private codes of conduct.

In concluding the analysis, the last section identifies necessary actions to be taken at the national and international levels for ensuring development gains in a rapidly changing environment.