Now more than 100 countries have signed. GATT helped to provide substantial progress in reducing quotas in the 1950s and 1960s. GATT has also helped to reduce tariffs in a series of negotiating 'rounds'. In particular, GATT has had to resort to toothless 'codes' for trade issues like government procurement, subsidies and anti-dumping action. Agriculture and services have been virtually untouched.
Tariffs are relatively easy to police, but hidden, non-tariff barriers are more difficult.
Fallon, Teresa TF Bloomsbury Guide to Human Thought 2. Free Trade Bloomsbury Guide to Human Thought 4. All rights reserved.