The rapid growth in the number of regional trade agreements (RTAs) has led to concern about the weakening of the multilateral trading system. This paper looks at the spread of such agreements and the extent which they pose a threat to the system.

The current WTO negotiations on industrial tariffs have focused largely on a formula approach to cutting tariffs, but the process of trying to find a compromise that would satisfy all sides has led to a number of propositions that entail blending various elements of formulae, sectoral...