This Chapter summarises the work carried out during the lifetime of the Action by Working Group I whose main task was to build multiregional NEG models. The main results are briefly presented and some of the questions left open are pointed at. Finally, topics for future research are suggested.

Magister Philosophiae - MPhil / Increasing energy needs globally have recently led to an interest in effectively bringing energy services in the trading system. Energy services were part of the Uruguay Round of negotiations, whose main achievement was the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS). The objective of the GATS is to achieve progressive liberalisation and reduction or elimination of trade barriers of all services sectors, including energy services. The GATS has made commendable progress in liberalising many service sectors, however it has not made meaningful progress with energy services. Furthermore though the SADC region engages in energy services trade through bilateral and regional agreements, a variety of barriers inhibit major successes from being achieved. Effective energy services trade and liberalisation has therefore proved problematic both at the multilateral, regional and bilateral level. This study, seeks to investigate why energy services liberalisation and trade at the multilateral, regional and bilateral level is problematic, with a particular focus on the SADC region. / South Africa

Magister Philosophiae - MPhil / Increasing energy needs globally have recently led to an interest in effectively bringing energy services in the trading system. Energy services were part of the Uruguay Round of negotiations, whose main achievement was the General Agreement on Trade in Services(GATS). The objective of the GATS is to achieve progressive liberalisation and reduction or elimination of trade barriers of all services sectors, including energy services. The GATS has made commendable progress in liberalising many service sectors, however it has not made meaningful progress with energy services. Furthermore though the SADC region engages in energy services trade through bilateral and regional agreements, a variety of barriers inhibit major successes from being achieved. Effective energy services trade and liberalisation has therefore proved problematic both at the multilateral, regional and bilateral level. This study,seeks to investigate why energy services liberalisation and trade at the multilateral, regional and bilateral level is problematic, with a particular focus on the SADC region.

This paper examines the effects of Ikea store establishment in Kalmar and Karlstad on the trade and retail inside the two cities, and as well on the trade and retail in the close neighboring municipalities and in further peripheral municipalities in both regions. After the establishment of Ikea store, Kalmar and Karlstad have experienced significant growth in trade and retail. The question, however, is how big this growth is in both cities? And how different locations on different distances from Ikea have been affected? What impact there was on different segments of the retail? How different business branches have been affected? How large the catchment area for the emerging new large-scale retail locations is? These questions, in addition to few others, are investigated in this paper. The thesis starts with an introduction chapter containing a background of the topic, problem description, the investigated questions, the purpose, and the outline of the paper. The next chapter includes the frame of reference which consists of literature review and theoretical framework about the external shopping centers and their impact on retail and regional trade development. It includes also information gathered from previous studies technical reports and other available sources about the subject. The third chapter includes description for the methods used to collect the primary and secondary data needed for the purpose of this study. Then the empirical framework which demonstrates the results of the conducted research followed by analysis and concluded in discussion and conclusion. Mixed methods are used as research strategy in this thesis, and the method to conduct the research is based on telephone interviews for the primary (qualitative) data, and documents and desk research for the secondary (quantitative) data. The gathered data is analyzed and designed in a way that allows the usage of comparative analysis technique to present the findings and draw conclusions. The results showed that new established Ikea retail store outside the city boundaries results with many effects on the city center and on the neighboring municipalities as well. The city center seems not to be affected negatively, but on the contrary positive effects were witnessed in both regions, these positive effects are linked to the increase inflow of customers from the external retail area which is known as spillover effect. III On the other hand, the neighboring towns and municipalities are more negatively affected especially with the trade of con-convenience goods as the consumers in these towns and municipalities start to go to the area of Ikea and the large external retail center to do their purchasing, the substitution effect is then said to be occurred. Moreover, the further far municipalities do not seem to be significantly affected by the establishment of Ikea. These effects whether positive or negative could be monitored by looking to few trade parameters such as the turnover, the sales index, and the consumers’ expenditure, these parameters can be very useful to measure the developments and changes in the trade and retail in a given place.

Cette thèse a pour but d'analyser l'impact de la création de l'Union économique et monétaire Ouest africaine (UEMOA), un exemple d'accord commercial régional (ACR) sur la dynamique du commerce et du développement au sein de cet espace. Elle analyse le processus de convergence réelle et examine les possibilités de renforcement du processus d'intégration économique. Le premier chapitre s'intéresse à l'impact du processus d'intégration sur la réduction des disparités de revenu par tête entre les pays membres. Mesuré par l'écart-type du PIB par tête à prix constant de 2005, les analyses ont révélé que les pays de l'UEMOA font l'expérience d'une convergence réelle entre 1970 et 2010. Cependant, selon nos analyses, la création de l'UEMOA n'a pas amélioré significativement les conditions de vie dans les pays membres. L'idée qui est exprimée dans ce premier chapitre est qu'un ACR qui réunit des partenaires plus ou moins égaux et vise non pas seulement à promouvoir le commerce intrinsèque, mais aussi et surtout l'intégration et le développement, peut être un complément utile pour le multilatéralisme en ce sens qu'il permet d'en corriger les inefficiences et à amortir ses chocs. Par contre, certains ACR peuvent constituer de graves menaces pour le système commercial multilatéral à partir du moment où ils génèrent des déséquilibres et renforcent les inégalités entre ceux qui les signent. C'est le cas de nombreux ACR impliquant des pays en développement et des pays développés. Le deuxième chapitre s'intéresse à un tel exemple d'ACR et propose une stratégie pour réduire les effets négatifs et permettre aux pays en développement de bénéficier des avantages du libre-échange. L'analyse est faite sur les implications macroéconomiques des Accords de partenariat économique (APE) entre les pays e l'Union européenne et ceux de l'Afrique des Caraïbes et du Pacifique (ACP). Nous montrons, à partir des données de la Côte d'Ivoire, qu'avec des dépenses publiques productives, les pays en développement peuvent réduire les effets négatifs de court terme des APE. Les économies en développement sont si petites et trop faibles face à la concurrence étrangère qu'elles mettent en place des politiques protectionnistes comme l'instauration d'un droit de douane sur les importations. C'est l'exemple du tarif extérieur commun imposé par l'UEMOA sur les importations en provenance d'un pays tiers. Le chapitre trois de cette thèse propose un modèle DGSE simple permettant d'analyser les impacts macroéconomiques de cette modification de la structure tarifaire. Il ressort que l'effet net d'un droit de douane est la réduction des principales composantes de la demande domestique et une baisse d'utilité des consommateurs. L'analyse montre que la dynamique de moyen et long terme ainsi que la réaction instantanée de ces composantes dépendent de l'élasticité de substitution entre les variétés des biens importés. / This thesis aims to analyze the impact of the creation of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU), a regional trade agreements (RTAs) example on the dynamics of trade and development in this area. It analyzes the process of real convergence and examines opportunities to strengthen the integration process. The first chapter focuses on the impact of integration on reducing disparities in per capita income between member countries. Measured by the standard deviation of per capita GDP at constant prices of 2005, these analyzes revealed that the WAEMU countries are experiencing a real convergence between 1970 and 2010. However, according to our analysis, the creation of teh WAEMU has not significantly improved living conditions in memeber countries. The idea expressed in the first chapter is a regional trade agreements (RTAs) which brings together more or less equal partners and aims not only to promote trade themselves, but also and especially the integration and developemnt, may be a useful adjunct for multilateralism in the sense that it allows to correct inefficiencies and absorb its impact. On the other side, some RTAs can pose serious threats to the multilateral trading system from the moment they generate imbalances and reinforce inequalities between those who sign them. This is the case of many RTAs involving developing and developed countries. The second chapter focuses on one example of this type of RTAs and proposes a strategy to reduce the negative effects and to enable developing countries to reap the benefits of free trade. The analysis is done on the macroeconomic implications of economic partnership agreements(EPAs) between the countries of the European Union and those of the African Caribbean and Pacific. We show, using data from Côte d'Ivoire that, with productive public spending, developing countries can reudce the negative effects of short-term EPA. Developing countries are so small and too weak to cope with foreign competition that they implement protectionist policies such as the introduction of a tariff on imports. This is the case of the common external tariff imposed by the WAEMU imports from third countries. Chapter three of this tesis proposes a simple DGSE model, to assess macroeconomic impacts of this change in tariff structure. It appears that the net effect of a tariff reduction is the decrease of the main components of domestic demand and a lower level of consumer utility. The analysis shows that the dynamics of medium and long term as well as the instantaneous reaction of theses components depend on the elasticity of substitution between varieties of imported goods.

Paralelamente aos esforços dos países, sob a liderança norte-americana, para a construção de um sistema multilateral de comércio mais livre e mais integrado, o pós-guerra assistiu a esforços regionalistas sob a forma de Acordos Regionais de Comércio (ARCs). Impulsionados pela experiência européia, países na América Latina e na África engajaram-se na formação de ARCs nas décadas de 1960 e 1970, sem grande sucesso, marcando o primeiro momento regionalista. A ordem internacional após Guerra Fria foi marcada pelo reavivamento do regionalismo com a celebração de novos ARCs e o relançamento de antigos acordos, marcando o segundo momento. A formação de ARCs, especialmente a explosão de acordos desde a inauguração da OMC, tem suscitado discussões entre o multilateralismo e o regionalismo, se seriam complementares ou contraditórios. A percepção da importância que assumiram os ARCs na teoria econômica e nas relações econômicas internacionais desperta o interesse sobre os motivos que levam os países a formarem esses acordos e a despenderem tanto tempo e esforço em sua formação. De acordo com a análise tradicional, os países buscam os ARCs como forma de aumentar as trocas comerciais e os investimentos entre os países membros por meio da redução de barreiras alfandegárias. Embora estejam presentes nos ARCs e sejam importantes nos cálculos dos países na formação desse acordo, os motivos tradicionais não conferem um explicação completa, especialmente quando se considera novo regionalismo, marcado por grandes avanços nas liberalizações multilateral e unilateral. O fato é que os países não buscam a integração apenas por suas razões econômicas intrínsecas, configuradas nos ganhos tradicionais, os ganhos expressos em seus acordos. Além dos ganhos comerciais, muitas vezes, mais importantes que os ganhos econômicos, os países têm outros objetivos quando aderem a arranjos regionais. Em busca de uma teoria mais completa para explicar a formação de ARCs, este trabalho se apoiará em quatro ganhos não-tradicionais: acesso seguro a mercados, segurança, suporte para reformas domésticas e incremento do poder de barganha. / Alongside with the countries efforts, under the leadership of United States, to the construction of a freer and more integrated multilateral trade system, the post-war period witnessed the regionalist efforts in the form of Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs). Stimulated by the European experience, countries in Latin America and Africa engaged themselves into the formation of RTAs in the 1960\'s and 1970\'s, without much success, determining the first regionalist period. The international order after the Cold War was marked by the revival of regionalism with the signing of new RTAs and the relaunch of old ones, determining the second period. The formation of RTAs, especially the explosion of new agreements since the inauguration of the WTO, has created discussions between multilateralism and regionalism, if they are complementary or contradictory. The perception of the importance assumed by the RTAs in economic theory and in the international economic relations arouses the interest about the reasons that lead countries to form such agreements and spend both time and efforts into their formation. According to the traditional analysis, countries seek RTAs as a way to increase trade and investment among member countries by reducing customs barriers. Despite being present in RTAs and despite being important in the countries calculation during agreements formation, the traditional motives don\'t grant a complete explanation, especially when considering the new regionalism, marked by great progress in the multilateral and unilateral liberalization. The fact is that countries do not seek integration only by its intrinsic economic reasons, configured in the traditional gains, gains that are expressed in their agreements. In addition to trade gains, often, more important than the economic gains, countries have other goals when they join regional arrangements. Searching for a more complete theory to explain the formation of RTAs, this work will be supported by four nontraditional gains: safe markets access, security, support for domestic reforms and increased bargain power.

Climate change is the most obvious and pressing impairment of the biological, physical, and chemical systems. To help mitigate this unprecedented problem, I present heads of state, policymakers, and members of civil society with a set of new provisions that they can include in their trade agreements to drive emissions reduction from countries inside and outside of their trade agreements, maintain their ability to compete in an increasingly globalized world, and comply with international trading rules. Ultimately, I seek to demonstrate the untapped potential for leveraging trade agreements to reduce emissions in the midst of an international system that lacks concerted climate action. In light of humanity’s inadequate efforts to address the immense threats posed by a changing climate, decentralized efforts, such as these, are increasingly essential to reduce emissions.

O comércio internacional de serviços é cada dia mais importante para as economias nacionais e para o comércio global. Por esse motivo, a liberalização comercial do setor de serviços tem sido objeto da maioria dos acordos regionais de comércio celebrados a partir de 1990. As normas sobre serviços estabelecidas por esses acordos coexistem com as normas do GATS, criadas no âmbito da OMC. Não obstante, o Brasil e o Mercosul celebraram pouquíssimos acordos regionais de comércio, apenas no eixo Sul/Sul. Dentre esses acordos, o único que contém normas e procedimentos concretos para a liberalização do comércio de serviços é o ACE Nº 35, entre Mercosul e Chile. Assim, verifica-se que o Mercosul não possui um modelo claro de normas para a abertura do setor de serviços. Não há diretrizes de política externa comum a respeito do tema, a despeito da relevância econômica desse setor para o Brasil e para os demais Estados-membros do bloco. Por sua vez, os principais players do comércio internacional - Estados Unidos, Índia, China e União Europeia - estão inseridos em redes de preferências comerciais envolvendo bens e serviços, que foram construídas ao longo das últimas décadas. Os acordos regionais celebrados por esses players são um importante parâmetro para um modelo de acordo regional em serviços a ser desenvolvido para o Mercosul. Para que o Brasil e o Mercosul não corram fiquem alijados desse processo de integração econômica, é necessário que se engajem no em negociação de preferências comerciais no setor de serviços com players importantes do comércio internacional. Para tanto, devem desenvolver um modelo próprio de regras para a abertura comercial do setor de serviços em acordos regionais de comércio, de forma a estarem mais capacitados para negociar esses acordos. / International trade in services is becoming more important for national economies and for the global commerce. Therefore, rules for the liberalization of the services sector are included in most of the regional trade agreements executed as of 1990. The rules established by these agreements coexist with the WTO rules established by the GATS. Nevertheless, Brazil and Mercosur have signed very few regional trade agreements, which are exclusively South/South agreements. Among these agreements, the only one that contains specific rules and proceedings for the liberalization of the services sector is ACE N ° 35, between Mercosur and Chile. Thus, Mercosur does not have established a pattern concerning regional trade agreement rules in the services sector. There are no common foreign policy guidelines on the subject, despite the economic importance of this sector for Brazil and for the other Member States. The major international trade players - United States, India, China and the European Union have built trade preferences networks involving goods and services over the past decades. Regional trade agreements concluded by those players are an important parameter for a pattern of regional trade agreement rules related to services to be developed by the Mercosur. In order to avoid that Brazil and Mercosur are excluded from this economic integration process, it is necessary to engage in the negotiation of trade preferences in the service sector with major international trade players. Mercosur should develop its own set of rules for the liberalization of the service sector in regional trade agreements as to become more prepared to negotiate such agreements.

<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>

Special and differential treatment (SDT) provisions in GATT were created to assist developing countries achieve economic progress while assimilating into the multilateral trading system. Despite these intentions, global trade imbalances still persist. Within this context, I focus on the region of East Asia which has experienced astounding growth in just several decades, propelling it far beyond other developing country regions. Although international trade continues to be the crucial factor driving growth in the region, reliance on SDT has in certain circumstances hindered development. As such, East Asia should seek alternatives to SDT. In that vein, I argue that sustainable growth and trade liberalization can be achieved by enhancing integration through a regional trade agreement. I further discuss various proposals for an East Asian trade agreement such as ASEAN+3, FTAAP, and EARTA. Finally, I highlight the importance of governance and identify several institutions essential for a successful regional arrangement.