Introduction

Non-discrimination is one of the fundamental principles of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), signed by the 148 countries that are members of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). The Most Favoured Nation (MFN) clause of the 1947 Agreement prohibits the existence of preferential trade insofar as “any advantage, favour, privilege or immunity granted by any contracting party to any product originating in or destined for any other country shall be accorded immediately and unconditionally to the like product originating in or destined for the territories of all other contracting parties” (Article I).