There exists a choice of negotiating the exclusions in tariff liberalisation: negative or positive listing. The extent of coverage caters to all sectors/products minus an identified ‘sensitive list’ under the negative list approach is considered more liberalising than positive listing with coverage across a specific number of sectors/products selected for preferential treatment.
However, as there is no predetermined method of expansion of liberalisation content during phase-in periods, it is necessary to compare both methods of negotiating exclusions, as each is perceived as a new policy for stakeholders having corresponding legal, administrative and economic implications.
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