RTA와 WTO하에서 내국민대우조항의 관계와 효과

The effect and relationship of National Treatment Clauses between the WTO and RTA

Since the World Trade Organization (WTO) was created in 1995, regional trade agreements (RTAs) have become a prominent feature of the Multilateral Trading System and nearly all of the WTO members have notified participation in one or more RTAs. Once an RTA meets the definitional terms set out in the GATT Article XXIV, its parties are able to reduce or eliminate their tariffs below the Most Favoured National (MFN) treatment level afforded to other WTO Members. This can happen even though such actions violate the principles of non-discrimination, such as Article I (MFN) and Article (National Treatment) of the GATT. This article addresses the relationship between regionalism and multilateralism by examining the effect of national treatment clauses in RTAs on all WTO members.