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Multilateralism and Regionalism in the South Pacific: World Trade Organization and Regional Fora as Complementary Institutions for Trade Facilitation

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  • Richard Pomfret

Abstract

As World Trade Organization (WTO) membership becomes almost universal, the Pacific island countries stand out as the largest group of outsiders. As the islands seek to replace reliance on preferential trading arrangements by competitive exports, market access and trade facilitation have become key policy concerns. In this context, WTO membership and regional or bilateral trade agreements are complementary institutions for increasing the potential success of new exports. The WTO sets out agreed principles for market access, and membership includes a dispute resolution process that provides redress against unjustified obstacles to exports, whilst trade facilitation in the sense of overcoming particular cost-raising obstacles to trade is better delivered by regional and bilateral agreements. The argument is supported by evidence from Pacific and other small island economies.

Suggested Citation

  • Richard Pomfret, 2016. "Multilateralism and Regionalism in the South Pacific: World Trade Organization and Regional Fora as Complementary Institutions for Trade Facilitation," Asia and the Pacific Policy Studies 201632, Crawford School of Public Policy, The Australian National University.
    • Handle: RePEc:een:appswp:201632
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    1. Yann Duval, 2008. "Trade Facilitation beyond the Doha round of negotiations," STUDIES IN TRADE AND INVESTMENT, in: Trade Facilitation Beyond the Multilateral Trade Negotiations: Regional Practices, Customs, Valuation and Other Emerging Issues, pages 1-25, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).
    2. Nora Neufeld, 2014. "Trade Facilitation Provisions in Regional Trade Agreements: Traits and Trends," Journal of International Commerce, Economics and Policy (JICEP), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 5(02), pages 1-28.
    3. Yann Duval, 2007. "Trade Facilitation beyond the Doha Round of Negotiations," ARTNeT Working Papers 50, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).
    4. Wesley Morgan, 2014. "Trade Negotiations and Regional Economic Integration in the Pacific Islands Forum," Asia and the Pacific Policy Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 1(2), pages 325-336, May.
    5. Pomfret, Richard, 2001. "The Economics of Regional Trading Arrangements," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780199248872, Decembrie.
    6. Neufeld, Nora, 2014. "Trade facilitation provisions in regional trade agreements traits and trends," WTO Staff Working Papers ERSD-2014-01, World Trade Organization (WTO), Economic Research and Statistics Division.
    7. Richard Pomfret, 2016. "International Trade:Theory, Evidence and Policy," World Scientific Books, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., number 9816, February.
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    1. Rerekura Teaurere & Siulua Tokilupe Latu & Roxane de Waegh & Mark Orams & Michael Lück, 2023. "Foreign aid, human agency, and self‐reliance in the Pacific: Lessons from the pandemic," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 41(S2), December.

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    Keywords

    Pacific islands; trade facilitation; WTO;
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