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Free Trade Agreements in the World Trade System: Substance and Semantics

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  • Prema-chandra Athukorala

Abstract

Over the past three decades, free trade agreements (FTAs) have become an integral and enduring part of the global trading system. The number of FTAs notified to the World Trade Organization increased from 19 in 1990 to 292 by January 2019. 1 However, debate on the economic case for following the FTA path as an alternative to multilateral and unilateral trade liberalisation is far from settled. The purpose of this note is to assess key themes of this policy debate. The focus is solely on the economic rationale of FTAs, even though political considerations play a key role in the proliferation of FTAs. JEL Codes: F13, F15, F55

Suggested Citation

  • Prema-chandra Athukorala, 2020. "Free Trade Agreements in the World Trade System: Substance and Semantics," Foreign Trade Review, , vol. 55(1), pages 13-20, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:fortra:v:55:y:2020:i:1:p:13-20
    DOI: 10.1177/0015732519886771
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Free trade agreement; rules of origin; foreign trade; World Trade Organization;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F13 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Trade Policy; International Trade Organizations
    • F15 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Economic Integration
    • F55 - International Economics - - International Relations, National Security, and International Political Economy - - - International Institutional Arrangements

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