Suchergebnisse

Preface -- Contents -- List of Contributors -- List of Abbreviations -- Part I: Setting the Scene -- Mega-Regionals: Challenges, Opportunities and Research Questions -- 1 Introduction -- 2 From Preferential Trade Agreements to ``Mega-Regionals´´ -- 3 The Anatomy of Recent PTAs and Mega-Regional Agreements -- 3.1 Market Access -- 3.2 Non-Tariff Barriers and Regulatory Cooperation in Particular -- 3.3 The Forgotten Singapore Issues: Investment and Competition -- 3.4 Making Trade Rules More Responsive: Labour Rights, Environmental Protection, Sustainable Development and Culture -- 3.5 Governance and Dispute Settlement -- 4 Legal Issues: From Earlier Debates to New Questions -- 4.1 Living in a Hybrid World: Partners to PTAs -- 4.1.1 Dispute Settlement as a Starting Point: Earlier Cases of Conflict -- 4.1.2 Lessons Learnt and the Hybrid Structure Revisited -- 4.2 Mega-Regionals, Third Parties and the World Trading System: Article XXIV as a Starting Point and New Developments -- 4.2.1 The Logic, Interpretation and Impact of Article XXIV GATT -- 4.2.2 New Questions -- 5 Pros and Cons for Whom? A Preliminary Assessment -- 5.1 Benefits for Participants: Integration and Its Limits -- 5.2 Disadvantages for All: Fragmentation from Various Perspectives -- 5.3 Advantages for All? Spill-Overs and Innovation -- 6 In Conclusion: The Level of Ambition Between Undue Proximity and Innovation -- References -- Part II: Strategic and Structural Issues -- The Strategic Dimension of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership -- 1 Introduction -- 2 The Rationale for TTIP -- 2.1 Economic Aspects -- 2.2 Strategic Considerations -- 3 TTIP in the Context of Broader External Relations -- 3.1 What Does TTIP Mean for Transatlantic Relations? -- 3.2 How Will TTIP Affect EU External Relations? -- 3.3 The Impact of TTIP on Developing Countries

This paper examines the relationship between mega-regional trade Agreements and diet-related health given that such Agreements aim to liberalize 'substantially all trade and investment' that could potentially impact on health through tariff elimination and stronger intellectual property commitments in partner countries. We analyse two interlinked policy concerns: first, how tariff reduction/elimination under mega-regional Agreements impact on the production of sugar? Second, how mega-regional Agreements with Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS)-style and TRIPS-plus commitments modify intellectual property rules among partner countries and impact on developing countries' access to life-saving drugs and medicines? Using a dynamic Global Trade Analysis Project model, we find there are significant health consequences of trade commitments undertaken by developing countries with potential detrimental health effect on populations such that first, higher production of sugar alters consumption trends. Second, despite stricter intellectual property rules, which result in net global gains, developing countries suffer from the regulatory chill effect.

Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs) have increased significantly in number over the past few years. They have become so widespread that practically all WTO members are now parties to one or more RTAs. The number of RTAs which include environmental provisions is also increasing. However, these provisions, and the experience related to their negotiation and implementation, have not been examined in depth yet. This study contributes to filling this gap. It provides an overview of approaches to environmental issues in RTAs and summarises country experiences in their negotiation and practical application. Regional and bilateral trade arrangements are surveyed, including customs unions and free trade agreements.

The negotiation and signature of free trade agreements has been a policy implemented by governments of many countries with economies open to international trade. Chile has been part of that trend, with a recent example in the signature of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement. However, the content of such agreements is not exclusively related to conditions of trade between countries. In fact, this kind of agreement include progressively normative content of local nature, which are discussed and negotiated under much different conditions that local law or agreements signed in international forums. This implies consequences not only in the content of fundamental rights affected by the rules set in the agreements, but also in the shape that such rights are recognised and configured by democratic States. ; La negociación y suscripción de acuerdos de libre comercio ha sido una política impulsada por los gobiernos de varios países de economías abiertas al comercio internacional. Chile ha sido también parte de esta tendencia, con el reciente ejemplo de la firma del Acuerdo Transpacífico. Sin embargo, el contenido de tales acuerdos no se refiere de forma exclusiva a condiciones del comercio entre países. Por el contrario, los acuerdos de esta clase abarcan de manera progresiva contenidos normativos propios de legislación interna, discutidos y negociados bajo condiciones muy distintas a los de las leyes nacionales o de los tratados suscritos en foros internacionales. Esto tiene consecuencias no solamente en el contenido de los derechos fundamentales afectados por las reglas acordadas en los tratados, sino en la forma en que tales derechos se reconocen y configuran por parte de los Estados democráticos.

Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs) have increased significantly in number over the past few years. The number of RTAs which include environmental provisions is also increasing. However, these provisions, and the experience related to their negotiation and implementation, have not been examined in depth yet. This study contributes to filling this gap. It provides an overview of approaches to environmental issues in RTAs and summarises country experiences in their negotiation and practical application. Regional and bilateral trade arrangements are surveyed, including customs unions and free trade