Economic Treaties

1
Economic Treaties
2
Agenda

• Introduction
• EU-treaties
• NAFTA
• MERCOSUR
• ASEAN
• GCC
• Other treaties

3
Introduction

• Economic treaties liberalize and facilitate
  trade, often on a regional basis
  
• WTO reports 250 so-called RTAs (regional trade
  agreements) in 2002, expected number in 2005
  close to 300
  
• Modern RTAs tend to go far beyond tariff-cutting
  - they include increasingly complex regulations
  governing standards, safeguard provisions,
  customs administration, mutual services trade,
  investment, competition, environment, labour

4
RTAs in 2000
Source WTO
5
RTAs in 2005 (estimated)
Source WTO
6
European Union
7
EURATOM
8
European Union
9
European Community
10
European Monetary Union
11
European Monetary Union
Red countries using EURO Blue countries not u
sing EURO
EURO influence in Africa
12
European Union
13
European Free Trade Area (EFTA)
14
European Free Trade Area (EFTA)
Light green former members Dark green current
members
15
European Economic Area (EEA)
16
NAFTA
17
NAFTA

• NAFTA comprises no supranational functions,
  NAFTA-regulations are not superior to national
  regulations
  
• Controversal discussions about consequences for
  employees, Mexico in particular, environmental
  and social issues
  
• Surveys showed that since NAFTA came into force,
  the member countries focussed their trade
  activities on NAFTA-members rather than on other
  countries, but trade volumes did not increase

18
MERCOSUR
19
MERCOSUR

• Long-term goal strengthened cooperation beyond
  economic relations and suprantional institutions
  
• MERCOSUR has got an associating treaty with the
  EU and is currently negotiating a free trade
  agreement with the EU

20
FTAA Free Trade Area of the Americas

• In 1991, former US-president Bush proposed a free
  trade area embracing all 34 countries in
  Northern, Middle and South America
  
• Originally supposed to come into force in 2005,
  negotiations still go on especially due to
  differences between South and North American
  countries

21
ASEAN
22
ASEAN
23
AFTA ASEAN Free Trade Area
24
GCC Gulf Cooperation Council
25
Other treaties - Europe
26
Other treaties America
27
Other treaties Africa
28
Other treaties Asia
29
Other treaties Pacific
30
Other treaties
31
Questions ?

• Thank you very much for your attention!

32
Backup
33
European Coal and Steel Community
34
European Economic Community
35
European Economic and Monetary Union
36
European Community
37
European Union
38
European Treaties