Introduction

This book is a collection of individual essays. Yet they all have a common theme: trade liberalization and preferential trade agreements (PTAs). Trade liberalization is arguably the major issue of the conduct of commercial policy. And, as a component of it, the relationship between universal, multilateral trade liberalization and the conclusion of PTAs — that is, a process of liberalization that discriminates between trading partners — has been a focus of analysis and debate in recent years. This book is thus designed as a contribution to the understanding of several salient elements of these issues. It is a search for answers to significant questions, which have not been raised and explored before; an attempt to clarify and elaborate upon others which, although they have been discussed (sometimes extensively) in the literature, have not been settled; and an analysis trying to provide bridges for moving from generalities to the comprehension of concrete instances and developments…