From the GATT to the WTO: the neoliberal institutionalist approach

Abstract

The paper approaches the history of GATT’s Rounds and, mainly, WTO creation from the point of view of the institutional neoliberalism of the International Relations in order to link economic interests and political decision making. The economic perceptions and the set of matrices of interests are linked to the political context and the structure of negotiations is focused in order to discuss the importance of international institutions to the stabilization of relations among states.