Regional Integration and the Global Trading System

This book discusses the questions surrounding the relationship between regional integration agreements and the global trading system. The chapters have been revised following a conference at the GATT and form part of the background material for a special study in the GATT Secretariat's annual report, "International Trade". The book begins by showing that even though inter-regional trade shares have increased for some areas, global economic integration has nonetheless continued. While the minilateral and multilateral tracks appear to have reinforced each other in the past, that need not be the case in the future. The book goes on to examine ways in which the rules and procedures of both GATT and regional agreements complement the global trading system on which the prosperity of all countries - both participants in such agreements and those who remain outside - depends.