The economic prospects of developing and developed countries alike are being shaped by the international negotiations in progress at the World Trade Organization (WTO) about trade, services, investment and intellectual property rights. Based on interviews with people actually participating, this publication lifts the shroud of secrecy surrounding these ostensibly democratic negotiations. It reveals: the preferred mode of negotiation is behind closed doors; decisions are often being made without the full approval of developing countries; the poorest and smallest countries do not have the capacity to participate effectively; illegitimate pressures are brought to bear, and inducements offered, by the US and EU countries; the least developed countries have been stabbed in the back over crucial negotiating positions.