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PRESS RELEASE: PRESS/TPRB/309

TRADE POLICY REVIEW:

Structural problems are inhibiting development

Since its first review in 2001, Mozambique has taken steps to liberalize its trade regime by lowering its maximum tariff rates and improving its investment regime. The reforms have contributed to achieving high economic growth of 8,7% on average per year during 2001-07; this has been driven mainly by foreign direct investment and public spending largely financed by foreign aid, according to a WTO Secretariat report on the trade policies and practices of Mozambique.

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The report notes that structural problems, including administrative hurdles and supply-side constraints like the high price and inefficient supply of utilities by state-owned companies operating under monopoly, still inhibit the business environment and competitiveness. It also calls for a continuation of reforms to address the problems.

The transparency and predictability of Mozambique’s trade regime would be enhanced by broadening the scope of its multilateral commitments, reducing bound rates, and displaying further efforts to meet notification requirements. Further development of the services sector, to achieve an improved and efficient supply of services, is also necessary since this is a leading sector of the economy accounting for 55% of GDP.

The WTO report, along with a policy statement by the Government of Mozambique, will be the basis for the Trade Policy Review of Mozambique by the Trade Policy Review Body of the WTO on 22 and 24 April 2009.

The following documents are available in MS Word format.

• Secretariat report
  > Contents and summary observations
  > Economic environment
  > Trade and investment regimes
  > Trade policies and practices by measure
  > Trade policies by sector
  > Appendix tables
    
• Government report
    

Note  back to top

Trade Policy Reviews are an exercise, mandated in the WTO agreements, in which member countries’ trade and related policies are examined and evaluated at regular intervals. Significant developments that may have an impact on the global trading system are also monitored. For each review, two documents are prepared: a policy statement by the government of the member under review, and a detailed report written independently by the WTO Secretariat. These two documents are then discussed by the WTO’s full membership in the Trade Policy Review Body (TPRB). These documents and the proceedings of the TPRB’s meetings are published shortly afterwards.

Print copies of previous TPR publications are available for sale from the WTO Secretariat, Centre William Rappard, 154 rue de Lausanne, 1211 Genève 21 and through the on-line bookshop.

The TPR publications are also available from our co-publisher Bernan Press, 4611-F Assembly Drive, Lanham, MD 20706-4391, United States.

Schedule of forthcoming reviews  back to top

Solomon Islands: 6 and 8 May 2009
New Zealand: 10 and 12 June 2009
Morocco: 24 and 26 June 2009

The WTO report, along with a policy statement by the Government, will be the basis for the Trade Policy Review (TPR) by the Trade Policy Review Body of the WTO.

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