For example, the WTO has few rules that deal with international investment, and it does not regulate international capital flows-those functions belong to the International Monetary Fund. The WTO also does not prescribe economic development policies, the mandate of the World Bank. It is true that WTO decision-making is not open to the public, but whether this is good or bad is not clear. Recall that the WTO makes decisions by consensus. Consensus-building is a slow process that is, by its nature, not very public.
Problems are inevitable in any rule based system.
Rules can be inflexible. Rules can have unintended consequences, especially when the world changes. Supporters of free trade have responded to WTO critics with the argument the trade promotes economic development. As evidence, they point to the economic records of developing countries in recent decades. WTO supporters argue that developing countries will gain a lot from a new WTO round that removes agricultural and manufacturing harriers set by developed countries.