Once governments have recognized this, they have a chance to improve on their policymaking by implementing different, and economically sound, economic policy. The best forum to do so is in international agreements. Such an agreement can make the commitment credible as the government then can resist pressures laid upon it internally by quoting the agreement. The function of international economic policy co-operation is that of a scapegoat. Although unilateral free trade is economically rational, it is only very seldom implemented.
Import competing interests are easier to organize than export interests.
This could eventually stop liberalization efforts completely. Apart from the fact that governments have opened their markets to foreign competition, they have improved the economic situation of their citizens. Thus, the GATT was a treaty that prevented governments to favor certain groups at and thereby hurting others. There can be no doubt that the GATT has been a great success. Therefore, the first and foremost function of international economic policy co-operation is to protect citizens from bad economic policies pursued by their governments.