<p>The EPA&rsquo / s will have an impact on regional integration in Africa, especially in the SADC region. The region has been split between the SADC and ESA EPA configuration therefore impacting on regional integration objectives set out under the SADC Trade Protocol.The EPA&rsquo / s will be concluded separately with six of the sub groupings under the ACP grouping. With the EU-SADC EPA negotiations has come a problem of overlapping of membership of the different regions which has created confusion and conflicts. Members of Southern African Development Cooperation (SADC) did not all enter into the EU-SADC EPA has one. The EU-SADC EPA configuration consists of Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland and Tanzania. The rest of the SADC member states are negotiating with the EU-ESA configuration. With South Africa having been allowed into the negotiations, its role should be examined and what it can contribute to the negotiations. Another conflict that has been created is the fact that South Africa has its own bilateral agreement with the EU thus putting stain on the trade relationship between South African and the rest of the SADC countries.</p>

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Economics / Yang M. Chang / There have been considerable discussions about why countries have interests in forming preferential trade agreements (PTAs), which typically take the forms of a “free trade area” (FTA) with Rules of Origin (ROO) and a “customs union” (CU) (World Bank, 2005). This dissertation contains three essays with three different models of trade under oligopoly to analyze various issues on preferential trade agreements. The first essay examines welfare implications of forming preferential trade arrangement (PTAs) between two asymmetric countries that differ in their market sizes. Key findings are as follows. First, when market size asymmetry between two countries is not too large and ROO requirements are not too restrictive, the formation of an FTA with effective ROO can be welfare-improving to both members. Second, the formation of a PTA is more likely to emerge between countries of similar in their market sizes, ceteris paribus. Third, compared to the pre-PTA equilibrium, there are greater reductions in external tariffs under an FTA than under a CU such that a non-member country is relatively better off under the FTA. The second essay presents a three country model of trade under Bertrand price competition to analyze differences in welfare implications between an FTA with ROO and a customs union (CU). It is shown that the maximum limit of ROO requirements over which there are welfare gains from trade for FTA members depends crucially on the degree of substitutability of final goods (or the intensity of product market competition). It is also found that member countries and their final-good exporters are better off in a CU than in an FTA. There are greater reductions in external tariffs under an FTA than under a CU such that a non-member country is relatively better off under the FTA. The third essay presents a three country model of FTA with Cournot quantity competition and derives the maximum enforceable level of ROO over which there are welfare gains from trade to each member country. It is shown that ROO and external tariffs are strategic complements such that the higher is the regional input restrictions, the higher is the external tariff necessary to induce firms to fully comply with ROO requirements. It is also shown that an FTA with effective ROO has a positive effect on the final-good trade. But the trade-diverting effect does not occur in the final-good sector.

M.Comm. / This study uses annual data for five SACU members over the period 1991-2005 to investigate the evidence for convergence in macroeconomic variables. Panel unit root test as an econometric tool is utilised together with other several approaches for this analysis. The results show significant evidence that the SACU countries have reached a reasonable level of convergence on specific macroeconomic variables. This can be attributed to common economic policies and institutional features. It is also evident that the countries that are members of the CMA show a dramatically higher convergence rate. As far as monetary policy is concerned, a high degree of convergence has been achieved in SACU. However, the results show no convergence on fiscal policies. This could be attributed to data constraint on debt to GDP which was used as a proxy for fiscal policy.

<p>After regaining independence from Soviet Union in 1991, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania started transition process from centrally planned- to market economy and their rapid progress has claimed to be one of a kind. Baltic States experienced a long period of exceptional economic growth and earned nickname of Baltic Tigers. International economic integration was one their main agenda and the countries signed several Free Trade Agreements during the 1990’s. The integration process culminated in 2004 when the countries joined the European Union.</p><p> </p><p>We were interested in to study how Baltic States trade patterns has evolved after they joined the union and research question was set out to ask:</p><p> </p><p><em>What changes have </em><em>Baltic States</em><em> trade patterns undergone since their EU accession?</em></p><p> </p><p>Complemented by sub-questions:</p><p> </p><p><em>Has the trade with </em><em>Russia</em><em> changed for the </em><em>Baltic States</em><em>?</em></p><p><em>Have there been any changes in size of SITC sectors of export and import when comparing before and after EU accession.</em></p><p> </p><p>The aim of this study was to investigate how the Baltic States EU membership has affected on their trade patterns and also to examine what kind of role Russia still has in their trade. In addition to general changes in the Baltic States trade we aimed to analyze trade patterns on a commodity level and studied trade flows in SITC (Standard International Trade Classification) sectors.</p><p> </p><p>The study is conducted from the positivistic standpoint and by using a deductive approach. Theories of economic integration and international trade have been used to formulate the research problem. We have used a quantitative research strategy and data of the Baltic States trade flows are gathered from Eurostat, Statistical office of the European Communities. The time frame of this study was limited to cover years 1999-2007 and since our focus was to examine trade developments over time, we have computed annual changes of trade flows.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Our theoretical framework<strong> </strong>consists of theories about economic integration, and Customs Union theory which has been the basis for our analysis.</p><p> </p><p>According to our findings intra-EU trade dominates both in exports and imports in all the Baltic Countries. We can see that EU accession has had impact on import patterns as imports from within the EU has increased and even more so after accession. Russia has continued to be a significant trading partner and exports to Russia have even increased after the countries joined the EU. Our findings suggest that joining the European Union has had effect on their trade patterns but we also argue that major change and specialization has already happened when they signed Free Trade Agreements.</p>

After regaining independence from Soviet Union in 1991, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania started transition process from centrally planned- to market economy and their rapid progress has claimed to be one of a kind. Baltic States experienced a long period of exceptional economic growth and earned nickname of Baltic Tigers. International economic integration was one their main agenda and the countries signed several Free Trade Agreements during the 1990’s. The integration process culminated in 2004 when the countries joined the European Union.   We were interested in to study how Baltic States trade patterns has evolved after they joined the union and research question was set out to ask:   What changes have Baltic States trade patterns undergone since their EU accession?   Complemented by sub-questions:   Has the trade with Russia changed for the Baltic States? Have there been any changes in size of SITC sectors of export and import when comparing before and after EU accession.   The aim of this study was to investigate how the Baltic States EU membership has affected on their trade patterns and also to examine what kind of role Russia still has in their trade. In addition to general changes in the Baltic States trade we aimed to analyze trade patterns on a commodity level and studied trade flows in SITC (Standard International Trade Classification) sectors.   The study is conducted from the positivistic standpoint and by using a deductive approach. Theories of economic integration and international trade have been used to formulate the research problem. We have used a quantitative research strategy and data of the Baltic States trade flows are gathered from Eurostat, Statistical office of the European Communities. The time frame of this study was limited to cover years 1999-2007 and since our focus was to examine trade developments over time, we have computed annual changes of trade flows. Our theoretical framework consists of theories about economic integration, and Customs Union theory which has been the basis for our analysis.   According to our findings intra-EU trade dominates both in exports and imports in all the Baltic Countries. We can see that EU accession has had impact on import patterns as imports from within the EU has increased and even more so after accession. Russia has continued to be a significant trading partner and exports to Russia have even increased after the countries joined the EU. Our findings suggest that joining the European Union has had effect on their trade patterns but we also argue that major change and specialization has already happened when they signed Free Trade Agreements.

This thesis examines the historical process which led to the signing of the Customs Union Agreement/Decision between the EU and Turkey. For not only is the positive economic impact of the Customs Union on Turkish economy rather questionable, but also it has meant clear political losses for the country as she had to surrender her trade autonomy and gave significant concessions in the Cyprus issue to make the EU approve it. Via the Customs Union which was introduced by Turkish authorities as a stepping stone to the EU membership, Turkey indeed suppressed all industrial custom duties in her trade with the EU and has started implementing EU tariffs in her trade with the third countries, losing in return a significant diplomatic stake to be used in her full membership negotiations with the EU. This study attempts to analyze different perceptions in Turkey over this issue since the 1970s in order to understand why this unfortunate decision was taken without even the approval of the National Assembly. It will finally argue that besides the incumbent Government&rsquo / s short-term electoral expectations, the Customs Union has paved the way for Turkey&rsquo / s one-sided integration to the EU legislation within the chaotic political atmosphere of the 1990s, and hence helped limit the economic, if not the political, policy options of any future government. Thus, the Customs Union was not about trade relations only but ensured a more comprehensive framework for political action that locked in Turkey&rsquo / s policy choices to a neoliberal path in a rapidly changing global and domestic political atmosphere.

This thesis analyzes the reconciliation of industrial property rights with the principle of free movement of goods in the EU and the implications of this solution on trade relations between the EU and Turkey in the scope of the Decision No. 1/95 of the EC-Turkey Association Council. In the second chapter, patents, trademarks, industrial designs and utility models then the EU regulations and the international regulations concerning the protection of the relevant right in the EU region is examined. Although, the need for &ldquo / EU wide protection of industrial property rights&rdquo / is not covered by these regulations, there are special provisions which stipulate &ldquo / regional exhaustion&rdquo / for trademarks and industrial designs. In the EU region there are systems for granting Community Trademark and granting Community Industrial Design which are co-exist with the national systems. However there is no system for granting Community Patent or Community Utility Models and there is no special provision which determine the geographical boundary of the exhaustion of patents and utility models. Nevertheless, the principle of regional exhaustion was accepted through ECJ decisions long before the above mentioned regulations which are very recent. In the third chapter of the thesis, firstly the provisions of the Rome Treaty regarding the free movement of goods, then the process that ECJ had faced until the regional exhaustion doctrine was reached and the implementation clauses of this doctrine is examined. Implementation of this doctrine affects both the trade relations among EU Member States and the trade relations between Member States and the non-EU countries. In the fourth chapter of the thesis, the provisions of the Decision No. 1/95 which regulates the free movements of goods between Turkey and the EU are examined with the articles of national legislation concerning the exhaustion of industrial property rights in Turkey. By considering above mentioned provisions and the different views in the doctrine, the trade relation between the EU and Turkey is examined with the economical, political and legal aspects.

Thesis (Ph.D. (Political & International Studies)) - Rhodes University, 2007.

Doctor Legum - LLD / The thesis considers the approaches followed by the European Union with the Brussels Regime, the federal system of the United States of America under the ‘full faith and credit clause’; the inter-state recognition scheme under the Australia and New Zealand Trans- Tasman judicial system; as well as the convention-approach of the Latin American States. It finds that the most suitable approach for the SACU is the negotiation and adoption by all SACU Member States of a multilateral convention on the recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments, comparable to the 1971 Convention of the Hague Conference on Private International Law; the EU Brussels I Regulation and the Latin-American Montevideo Convention, as complemented by the La Paz Convention. It is imperative that a proposed convention should not merely duplicate previous efforts, but should be drafted in the light of the legal, political and socio-economic characteristics of the SACU Member States. The current legislative provisions in force in SACU Member States are compared and analysed, and the comparison and analysis form the basis of a proposal for a future instrument on recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments for the region. A recommended draft text for a proposed Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Judgments for the SACU is included. This draft text could form the basis for future negotiations by SACU Member States.

Magister Legum - LLM