scholarly journals The Political Economy of Preferential Trade Agreements: An Empirical Investigation*

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giovanni Facchini ◽  
Peri Silva ◽  
Gerald Willmann
Keyword(s):  
Political Economy ◽  
Theoretical Analysis ◽  
Empirical Investigation ◽  
Bilateral Trade ◽  
Strong Support ◽  
Trade Agreements ◽  
Preferential Trade Agreements ◽  
The Political ◽  
Economy Model ◽  
Customs Unions

Abstract We develop a political economy model to study the decision of representative democracies to join a preferential trading agreement (PTA), distinguishing between free trade areas (FTA) and customs unions (CU). Our theoretical analysis shows that bilateral trade imbalances and income inequality are important factors determining the formation of PTAs, whereas the patterns of geographic specialisation explain whether a CU or an FTA will emerge. Our empirical analysis - using a comprehensive panel dataset spanning 187 countries over the period 1960-2015 - provides strong support for these predictions.

Endogenous Preferential Trade Agreements: An Empirical Analysis

2003 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher S Magee
Keyword(s):  
Political Economy ◽  
Empirical Analysis ◽  
Bilateral Trade ◽  
Trade Agreement ◽  
Trade Agreements ◽  
Preferential Trade Agreements ◽  
The Political ◽  
Preferential Trade ◽  
Trading Partners ◽  
Regional Agreements

Abstract This paper provides one of the first assessments of the hypothesis that two countries are more likely to form a preferential trade agreement (PTA) if they are already major trading partners. The paper also tests a number of predictions from the political economy literature about which countries are expected to form regional agreements. The results show that countries are more likely to be preferential trading partners if they have significant bilateral trade, are similar in size, and are both democracies. Finally, the paper measures the effect of preferential agreements on trade volumes while, unlike previous studies, treating PTA formation as endogenous.

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