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Here is a short collection of links to articles on world trade. We hope these will give the reader more background on the subject of the evolving regionalization underway in the world.
1. WTO (World Trade Organization) 2007 Annual Report PDF File
2. The European Union (EU)
3. The European Free Trade Association (EFTA)
4. The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA Now)
5. Security and Prosperity Partnership Of North America - SPP (North American Union?) [No longer available]
Security and Prosperity Partnership: Lou Dobbs - July 4, 2006
6. The Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR) (Spanish & Portuguese)
MERCOSUR Treaty of Asuncion – Full Text: English
Mercosur: South America’s Fractious Trade Bloc (Council on Foreign Relations article in English)
7. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Free Trade Area
Background, creation, purpose and history
China, Asean to advance free trade By Sun Shangwu (China Daily)
ASEAN+China, Japan, ROK (10+3) summit held
“ASEAN Plus Three – Perspectives of Regional Integration in East Asia and the Lessons from Europe” 30 November – 1 December 2003 - Seoul, Korea
Tibet to attend 3rd China-ASEAN Expo [No longer available]
8. The Common Market of Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)
9. Middle East Free Trade Area Initiative (MEFTA) [No longer available]
10. COOPERATION COUNCIL FOR THE ARAB STATES OF THE GULF (GCC)
The Economic Agreement Between the GCC States
The Kingdom of Jordan: Foreign Ministry: Trade Overview [No longer available]
Greater Arab Free Trade Area (GAFTA) 1 January, 2005
Members:
Jordan
Bahrain
United Arab Emirates
Tunisia
Saudi Arabia
Syria
Iraq
Oman
Qatar
Kuwait
Lebanon
Libya
Egypt
Morocco
Sudan
Yemen
Palestine
Possible future members:
18. Comoros
19. Djibouti
20. Mauritania
21. Somalia
The Arab League has a long history of trying to foster trade and economic cooperation among its member states, with several initiatives takes in the 1950s and 1960s.
In 1981, an agreement to facilitate and promote inter-Arab trade was signed, but to little effect.
In February 1997, the League decided to create an Arab Free Trade Area, also known as the Greater Arab Free Trade Area or the Pan-Arab Free Trade Area, by 2008. This would be achieved through a 10% reduction in customs fees each year as well as the gradual elimination of trade barriers. Eighteen of the 22 Arab League states signed on to this agreement, which came into force on 1 January 1998.
In March 2001, it was decided to speed up the liberalisation process, and on 1 January 2005 the elimination of most tariffs among the GAFTA members was enforced.
The 17 states that are members of GAFTA are: Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen. Others are in the process of joining.
Source: http://www.bilaterals.org/rubrique.php3?id_rubrique=169
Source: http://www.jordanecb.org/public/English.aspx?Lang=1&Page_Id=1294&Menu_ID=32
