• Dr. Prashant Vithal Kadam

The establishment of GATT in the late 40s marked the beginning of the new era in international trade. It had certain principles which were binding upon members to follow. However, a new reformed GATT was re-established with the name of WTO in 1994 which started its operations in 1995. An important principle along with other domains was the Special and differential treatment (S & DT). It was a set of GATT provisions (GATT 1947, Article XVIII) that exempted developing countries from the same strict trade rules and disciplines of more industrialized countries. The least developed countries were exempted from any reduction commitments. It was a key principle in the multilateral trading system, since the inception of GATT in 1950s. However, it was fully blown with the addition of Part IV to the GATT in 1964, and took a new dimension with the enactment of the Decision on Differential and More Favourable Treatment, Reciprocity and Fuller Participation of Developing Countries, also known as the Enabling Clause, in 1979. There has been a debate on the Special and Differential treatment accorded to developing or least developed countries. Though some countries have adhered to do away with the special status in terms of S & DT, but some countries have objected to be deprived of such status irrespective of their level of development. The paper has reviewed the S & DT of WTO and infact has urged for the need for a holistic reforms towards an inclusive and equitable memorandum mutually agreed by all its member countries.

S & DT, WTO, Advanced Economies, Developing Economies, Development

"SPECIAL & DIFFERENTIAL TREATMENT: A NEED FOR A HOLISTIC APPROACH ", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.8, Issue 2, page no.531-535, February-2021, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2102058.pdf

"SPECIAL & DIFFERENTIAL TREATMENT: A NEED FOR A HOLISTIC APPROACH ", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.8, Issue 2, page no. pp531-535, February-2021, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2102058.pdf