ABSTRACT
The failure of the international community in its attempt to agree on the Havana Charter, and the resilience of colonial-type economic relationships between developed and developing countries contributed to the emergence of sometimes conflicting ideologies. The United States proposal to include services in a New Round of Multilateral Trade Negotiations came at a time when a substantial literature was emphasizing the merits of a 'de-linking' of developing economies from international trade. The so-called 'New Round' of Multilateral Trade Negotiations is definitely different from Rounds. The scope of discussions is different, and the relative weights of the actors are different. Like most parties involved in ongoing discussions and negotiations on trade in services, developing countries could not subscribe to an international agreement which would increase the rigidity of their international economic environment. The terra 'Restrictive Business Practice' designates essentially non-governmental measures taken by enterprises in order to strengthen their positions on a given market.
