Russia's accession negotiations to the WTO have been dragging on for
over a decade. An exact entry date has not been set as of the time of
this writing. Various challenges remain which leave the largest
accession candidate and former communist country as one of the few
states outside the world trading system. What are the key challenges
that need solving? Is there a linkage to the country's economic past? Do
political reasons play a role? The author introduces the topic by giving
a comprehensive introduction to the WTO system as well as the formal
accession process. Following a detailed analysis of the economic
transition process, including the elements of liberalization,
privatization, stabilization and institutional building gives an idea of
Russia's economic particularities. Based on these findings, the
investigation into Russia's current condition in the accession process
gives an in-depth view of the country's current economic situation, its
trading system and the challenged that need solving before becoming a
member of the WTO. The book addresses university students, in particular
in the field of economics and international studies, scholars and people
interested in the topic of the international trading system.