Meistbegünstigungspflicht

Meistbegünstigung is a principle in international trade law that requires a country to grant the same trade advantages to all other countries with which it has a trade agreement. This means that if a country offers a special concession, such as a lower tariff on a particular product, to one trading partner, it must offer that same concession to all other countries it has signed a similar agreement with. The core idea is to prevent discrimination between trading partners and promote a more level playing field in global commerce.

This principle is a cornerstone of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and is enshrined in its General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). The most-favored-nation (MFN) clause, which is the English translation of Meistbegünstigung, is typically found in bilateral trade agreements as well. The goal is to foster broader and more predictable trade relations by ensuring that no single country receives preferential treatment over others.

There are exceptions to the Meistbegünstigung principle. For instance, free trade agreements and customs unions, where member countries eliminate tariffs among themselves, are permitted. These arrangements allow for deeper integration among a subset of countries without violating the MFN principle with countries outside the agreement, provided certain conditions are met. Developing countries may also receive preferential treatment under specific schemes designed to aid their economic development.