text: qgq:di.scrimination, make recommendations on principles and policies related to ffie,andnakeproposal-sastothestrengtheningandinprovementof the trading system with a view to giving it a more universal and dynanic character as well as to naking it nore responsive to the needs of developing countries and supportive of accelerated economic Arowth and developnent, particularly that of developing countries" (enphasis added) . 2. In the background docunent to the Conference (docunent TD/274, p. 30), the UNCTAD secretariat indicated that the principle of unconditional most-favoured-nation treatnent was an essential conponent of the tariff-basedsysten. It ensured that negatiated tariff concessions constituted an obligation to the entire membership of GATT thus imparting a greater degree of security to the concessions. The obligation that all trade neasures should be non-discriminatory ensured that the allocation of resources on the basis of conparative advantage would not be distorted to the benefit of some and not others. The concept of trade preferences in favour of developing countries constituted a variation of, but not a departure from, the basic theory underlying this approach. 3. One area where the erosion of the uncorditional most-favoured-nation principle has been evident is through the application of the concept of market disruption, which penitted discrininatory safeguard actions against certain countries. Although this form of discrimination has been oinstitutionalized" in GATT only in the textile and clothing sector, it has nevert,heless permeated tiade policies andattitudes toward trade. The pressures for acceptance of a selective safeguardclause, if successful, would extend this discrininatory 169ime to trade in general. 4. It is clearly more difficult to ensure that non-tariff measures are applied on an unconditional most-favoured-nation basis. The text of GATT article XIIIillustrates the complexity of ensuring the nondiscrininatory application of guant,itative restrictions. The extent to which other freguently used non-tariff measures, such as anti-dumping and countervaiting duties, are applied in a
analysis: The text appears to be discussing the principles and policies related to international trade, specifically the concept of most-favoured-nation treatment and its implications for developing countries. The text also touches on the application of non-tariff measures and the potential for discriminatory trade practices. Given the focus on international trade and the specific economic development implications for developing countries, it is likely that the text is related to the field of economic development.