Regionalism and the Multilateral Trading System

2018 ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
James P. Murphy ◽  
Carolan McLarney
Keyword(s):  
World Trade ◽  
Trade Agreements ◽  
Regional Trade Agreements ◽  
Regional Trade ◽  
Trading System ◽  
Trade Area ◽  
The Us ◽  
Multilateral Trading System ◽  
The World ◽  
The Multilateral Trading System

Regionalism and the Multilateral Trading System: The Role of Regional Trade Agreements is a discussion about the new reality and the evolution of the reduction of international barriers to freer trade under the World Trade Organization (WTO) formerly the General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs (GATT). The chapter devotes time to the two largest regional trade agreements (RTAs), the European Union (EU) with 28 countries and North American Trading Agreement (NAFTA) with three countries account for half of all world trade (WTO, 2017a). The US set a course post World War II as the proponent of globalization and freer trade. RTAs at that time were failing or inconsequential. In response to the EU trading block, the US committed to a (Free Trade Area) FTA with Canada and subsequently the NAFTA with Canada and Mexico the rest of the world began to become concerned about being shut out of a preferential trade deal. The main theme of the chapter is that trade liberalization is moving forward because of Regional Trading agreements, not the WTO which is stalled and may never restart in its current form.

scholarly journals THE EFFECTS OF MEGA-REGIONAL TRADE AGREEMENTS ON THE MULTILATERAL TRADING SYSTEM // EFEKTI MEGA-REGIONALNIH SPORAZUMA NA MULTILATERALNI TRGOVINSKI SUSTAV

2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vlatka Bilas ◽  
Sanja Franc
Keyword(s):  
Emerging Economies ◽  
Trade Agreements ◽  
Regional Trade Agreements ◽  
Regional Trade ◽  
Trading System ◽  
Transatlantic Trade ◽  
Global Standards ◽  
Multilateral Trading System ◽  
Trade And Investment ◽  
The Multilateral Trading System

The aim of this study is to investigate the motives and effects of mega-regional trade agreements on the multilateral trading system using the example of Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) and Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). Multilateralism and regionalism, although opposite trends, coexist simultaneously. While many arguments can be given for both approaches one has to recognize that the number of regional trade agreements is increasing and that regionalism is becoming a prevailing trend. The response to the regional trade agreements, especially mega-regionals, will mostly depend upon the effect on the third countries’ trade interests. Since it is expected that, over time, many of the currently excluded emerging economies will become a part of some mega-regional agreement, it is not likely that new global standards and rules will be created on a strictly regional but rather on multilateral level.

Regional Trade Agreements in a Multilateral Trade Regime

2005 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Parthapratim Pal
Keyword(s):  
Building Blocks ◽  
Trade Agreements ◽  
Regional Trade Agreements ◽  
Regional Trade ◽  
Trading System ◽  
Multilateral Trading System ◽  
International Trading ◽  
World Trading System ◽  
Intense Debate ◽  
The Multilateral Trading System

One of the most striking developments in the world trading system since the mid 1990s has been the surge in Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs). From about 50 till 1990, the number of RTAs has crossed 250 in 2003. As trading within RTAs does not come under the purview of World Trade Organization (WTO), this explosive growth of regionalism is threatening to emerge as an alternative to the WTO led international trading system. This has initiated an intense debate among economists whether RTAs are “building blocks” or “stumbling blocks” of the multilateral trading system. In this backdrop, this paper traces the reasons behind this resurgent regionalism and surveys the literature on RTAs and its interaction with the multilateral trading system. This paper attempts to look at these issues from the perspective of a developing country.

scholarly journals The Southern African Development Community Trade Legal Instruments Compliance with Certain Criteria of GATT Article XXIV

2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 286
Author(s):  
A Saurombe
Keyword(s):  
Free Trade ◽  
Free Trade Area ◽  
Trade Agreements ◽  
Regional Trade Agreements ◽  
Regional Trade ◽  
Trading System ◽  
Legal Principles ◽  
Customs Unions ◽  
Trade Area ◽  
Multilateral Trading System

Article XXIV of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) lays down the legal principles with which regional trade agreements have to conform.  Based on these principles, WTO members have the mandate to determine the legality of Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs) under the GATT.  Article XXIV permits both regional and bilateral preferential trade agreements leading to the formation of customs unions and free trade areas, and seeks to integrate them in the multilateral trading system envisioned for the world.  SADC is an RTA created under this Article. Notwithstanding the controversies surrounding the provisions and interpretation of Article XXIV, this paper seeks to establish the extent to which the SADC Protocol on Trade and free trade area comply with WTO rules. An analysis of selected Article XXIV provisions and the SADC Trade Protocol provisions will be undertaken in trying to establish this compliance.

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