This paper investigates and analyzes the present status, potential, and prospects of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) free trade agreements (FTAs). It begins with a review of the historical evolution of ASEAN FTAs, which captures the achievements of the ASEAN Free Trade Agreement...

This paper investigates and analyzes the present status, potential, and prospects of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) free trade agreements (FTAs). It begins with a review of the historical evolution of ASEAN FTAs, which captures the achievements of the ASEAN Free Trade Agreement...

The classical argument for free trade stressed the possibilities of economic growth by exploiting the gains from trade. A trade surplus per se was not the main objective; presumably the argument was that trade would be balanced at the new higher growth rate. Moreover, the arguments for free trade...

This study is placed in the context of the emerging concerns regarding Rules of Origin (RoO) in Free Trade Agreements (FTAs). The first set of RoO for India, embedded in the text of the India–Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement (ISLFTA), is analyzed with respect to its design and...

Free trade agreements (FTAs) have been proliferating in Asia since the late '90s and show no sign of abating. The ASEAN +3 model should ideally serve as the starting point because of existing linkages in the real and monetary sectors. Nevertheless, what have emerged are six ASEAN +1 initiatives....

This paper addresses the endogenous formation of trade agreements in a three - country model of imperfect competition. While the requirement of sustainability of preferential trade areas has often been ignored in the literature, I construct a framework for predicting which trade agreements form...

Is intraregional trade in Asia really integrating? It is not easy to answer this ostensibly simple question. There are two ways to assess the level of trade integration: de facto integration and de jure integration. With respect to de facto integration (actual level of interdependence in terms...

Countries embarking on trade negotiations are not only seeking increased market access, but also, reduced market opacity. This study distils the most progressive practices for promoting regulatory transparency in over one hundred regional trade agreements (RTAs) concluded by OECD and large...

What influences the adoption of transparency obligations in trade agreements, and what are its effects? This paper uses a new dataset on transparency provisions in over a hundred regional trade agreements (RTAs) to provide empirical evidence of the political economy determinants of international...

The People’s Republic of China (PRC) has emerged as a major player in the global economy and considers free trade agreements (FTAs) an important part of its global trading strategy. The PRC’s export industries are embedded in existing regional and global production networks and are...