In the agreements: more time, better terms
The WTO agreements include numerous provisions giving developing and least developed
countries special rights or extra leniency — “special and differential treatment”.
Among these are provisions that allow developed countries to treat developing
countries more favorably than other WTO members.
The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT, which deals with trade in
goods) has a special section (Part 4) on Trade and Development which includes provisions
on the concept of non-reciprocity in trade negotiations between developed
and developing countries — when developed countries grant trade concessions to
developing countries they should not expect the developing countries to make
matching offers in return.