Trade Liberalization in Aviation Services

"In this study, Brian Hindley of the London School of Economics discusses the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the possibility of new international aviation rules. Traffic rights - which carriers can fly where - are the necessary core of any agreement, but they are expressly exempted from the disciplines of the GATS. This creates a unique opportunity for the industry to craft agreements outside the WTO and then potentially negotiate special provisions for itself within the WTO." "But problems remain. The dispute settlement process continues to frustrate many carriers, especially U.S. airlines, and it does not seem likely that WTO disciplines will quickly be applied to aviation. In the search for a new organizational basis for international aviation, however, the WTO cannot be ignored." "A more promising candidate for WTO action is the aviation-intensive sector of express delivery. When the Doha Round resumes, Mr. Hindley believes that WTO agreements facilitating express delivery will be feasible. Apart from the intrinsic benefits for the world economy, these agreements would be a valuable introduction to the WTO for internation