Regional economic cooperation and integration do have important security dimensions and implications. This is because economic cooperation and integration may be driven by the desire to reduce the likelihood of political or military conflict between the states involved.
Regional trade agreements (RTAs) cover more than half of international trade today, operating alongside global multilateral agreements under the World Trade Organization (WTO).In recent years, many countries have actively sought to establish new – and often more modern and progressive – bilateral and regional trade agreements that aim to increase trade and boost economic growth.
Overview. A regional trade agreement (RTA) is a treaty between two or more governments that define the rules of trade for all signatories. Examples of regional trade agreements include the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), Central American-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR), the European Union ...
Regional trade agreements are increasing in number and changing their nature. Fifty trade agreements were in force in 1990. There were more than 280 in 2017. In many trade agreements today, negotiations go beyond tariffs to cover multiple policy areas that affect trade and investment in goods and services, including behind-the-border regulations such as competition policy, government procurement rules, and intellectual property rights. RTAs that cover tariffs and other border measures are “shallow” agreements; RTAs that cover a larger set of policy areas, at the border and behind the border, are “deep” agreements.
Deep trade agreements are important institutional infrastructure for regional integration. They reduce trade costs and define many rules in which economies operate. If efficiently designed, they can improve policy cooperation across countries, thereby increasing international trade and investment, economic growth and social welfare. World Bank Group research finds that:
Mulabdic, A., A. Osnago, and M. Ruta. 2017. “ Deep Integration and UK–EU Trade Relations .” In The Economics of UK-EU Relations, edited by Nauro F. Campos and Fabrizio Coricelli, 253–282. Springer.
Deep agreements boost trade, foreign investment and global value chain (GVC) participation more than shallow agreements. On average, deeper agreements increase goods trade by more than 35 percent, services trade by more than 15 percent, and GVC integration by more than 10 percent. Aspects of deep agreements are public goods.
Overview. A regional trade agreement (RTA) is a treaty between two or more governments that define the rules of trade for all signatories. Examples of regional trade agreements include the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), Central American-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR), the European Union ...
Regional trade agreements are increasing in number and changing their nature. Fifty trade agreements were in force in 1990. There were more than 280 in 2017. In many trade agreements today, negotiations go beyond tariffs to cover multiple policy areas that affect trade and investment in goods and services, including behind-the-border regulations such as competition policy, government procurement rules, and intellectual property rights. RTAs that cover tariffs and other border measures are “shallow” agreements; RTAs that cover a larger set of policy areas, at the border and behind the border, are “deep” agreements.
Deep trade agreements are important institutional infrastructure for regional integration. They reduce trade costs and define many rules in which economies operate. If efficiently designed, they can improve policy cooperation across countries, thereby increasing international trade and investment, economic growth and social welfare. World Bank Group research finds that:
Mulabdic, A., A. Osnago, and M. Ruta. 2017. “ Deep Integration and UK–EU Trade Relations .” In The Economics of UK-EU Relations, edited by Nauro F. Campos and Fabrizio Coricelli, 253–282. Springer.
Deep agreements boost trade, foreign investment and global value chain (GVC) participation more than shallow agreements. On average, deeper agreements increase goods trade by more than 35 percent, services trade by more than 15 percent, and GVC integration by more than 10 percent. Aspects of deep agreements are public goods.