Summary

A great deal of new material is presented in this volume and I have a sense of forward motion in the analysis of trade policy issues. Before attempting to sketch what I think are the salient points of consensus and disagreement, one preliminary observation seems to be called for. While there may be disagreements as to how much that system is threatened, or the means by which the system could effectively become more open, the underlying ethic of the chapters — and of the discussion, between practitioners, academics and government officials, which took place at the conference at which the papers were presented — is the unanimous view that an open multilateral trading system is in everyone’s best interest.