13 Sep 2013

growth & trade, innovation, energy & climate

Belarus, Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia, Trade, economic integration and globalization, WTO, WTO accession

The study on “Belarus’s WTO Accession: Impact on Domestic Business” published

A new study, titled “Belarus’ WTO Accession: Impact on Domestic Business”, has been prepared within the project “Belarus on the road to the WTO: Problems and Prospects”. The report investigates the impact of WTO accession on SMEs in Belarus, drawing on previous international experiences. It also analyses the attitudes of Belarussian businesses towards WTO accession. The study, and the survey it is based on, show that Belarussian enterprises are generally in favor of the accession and trust that it will promote the economic development of the country. Most entrepreneurs also count on the Government’s support in adapting to the conditions resulting from accession, especially in terms of improving the business climate. A striking feature resulting from the survey, however, is the lack of knowledge among enterprises of both the basic rules and regulations of the WTO and other issues related to the country’s accession process, which means that businesses cannot articulate their positions or interests to officials.
This study is one of the nine activities carried out as part of this project and is one of three studies that relate to the WTO accession of Belarus.