ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the regime's decisionmaking framework and programs, explores the impact of the former on the latter, and evaluates the strength of the regime. The central substantive and procedural norms of the General Agreements on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) trade barriers regime have been relatively few in number. The procedural norms relate to multilateralism and the role of states with major interests in trade relations. The substantive norms concern nondiscrimination, liberalization, reciprocity, the right to take "safeguard" action, and economic development. The Tokyo Round appears to have enshrined special treatment of Least-Developed Country’s as a central norm of the regime, although the effect on trade bargaining is unclear. The chapter focuses on GATT authorizations to take safeguard action or waive compliance with particular substantive rules on a temporary basis—as a result of emergency, extraordinary, or exceptional situations. It analyses four functions, the facilitative function, the constraint function, the diffusion of influence function, and the promotion of interaction function.
