Initial Negotiating Rights (INRs) in the WTO

Abstract

INRs as an important card in the game of WTO accession

Initial Negotiating Rights is a useful tool to find a compromise in the WTO bilateral negotiations, particularly in the accession stage. This policy brief sheds light on the provisions of INRs in the WTO. It also elaborates a number of case studies, and draws some recommendations. Particularly, the paper focuses on the INRs and small and medium –sized countries, and the reasons which pushed these countries to confer INRs.