Sub-Committee on Least Developed Countries - Market access for products and services of export interest to least developed countries - Note by the Secretariat

MARKET ACCESS FOR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES OF EXPORT INTEREST
TO LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES

NOTE BY THE SECRETARIAT[1]

Contents

1   EXECUTIVE SUMMARY. 4

2   Introduction.. 6

3   LDCs' TRADE PROFILE. 7

3.1   Trends in Goods and Commercial Services. 7

3.2   Merchandise Trade Developments. 11

3.2.1   Overall trend. 11

3.2.2   Commodity price movements. 13

3.2.3   Major LDC traders. 13

3.2.4   Trends in product composition. 14

3.2.5   Major markets of LDCs. 18

3.3   Services Trade Developments. 19

4   MARKET ACCESS FOR PRODUCTS OF EXPORT INTEREST TO LDCS. 28

4.1   Trends in market access for products of export interest to LDCs. 28

4.2   Duty-free market access granted by selected Members. 29

4.3   Recent initiatives to improve market access for LDCs. 31

annex. 33



[1] This document has been prepared under the Secretariat's own responsibility and is without prejudice to the positions of Members or to their rights and obligations under the WTO.