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Regionalism Versus Multilateralism

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Regionalism versus Multilateralism
Taking one step back to take two steps forward

One would be hard-pressed to a find a country in the world today which is not a member of a regional agreement. In fact, most countries are members of numerous such agreements. Regionalism, multilateralism, globalization and interdependence are all phrases that are heard and used often. The problem, then, is not the recognition of these issues, but rather reaching some form of consensus on what their implications will be.

In recent years, the growth of regional trade agreements has been one of the most significant developments in international relations, and the impact of these agreements on the multilateral trading system as well as on the economic and political relationships between countries, is a topic on which both economists and policymakers are divided. The available literature on this subject is overwhelming, with authors that include Paul Krugman, Alan Winters and Jagdish Bhagwati.

This paper will provide a brief overview of the different stages of regional integration, examples of such regional agreements, and the basic elements of each type of regional agreement. Thereafter, I will give my own opinion on the rise of regionalism and the global implications this phenomena holds.

Table 1: Stages of economic integration, their basic elements and examples of agreements

Stages 
of Economic Integration Basic elements & examples of agreements Basic elements and examples of agreements
Free Trade Agreement (FTA) Zero tariffs between member countries and reduced non‑tariff barriers e.g NAFTA
Customs Union (CU) FTA + common external tariff e.g SACU
Common Market (CM) CU + free movement of capital and labour, some policy harmonization e.g Mercosur
Economic Union (EU) CM + common economic policies and institutions e.g EU
Table 1 provides the stages of regional

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