Preferential trade policies and agreements

The trend in the proliferation of preferential trade agreements (PTAs), which was clearly established in the early 1990s, continued until the mid-2000s. It appears that the global economic crisis of 2008-2009 has not derailed the use of PTAs by Governments to secure access to foreign markets and defend domestic one. By the end of 2010, a combination of the economic crisis and a lack of progress in multilateral trading negotiation only increased PTA efforts. By October 2012 a total of 233 “physical” trade agreements were in force and notified to the WTO.1 Of that number, Asia-Pacific economies have contributed 117 agreements.

Related Subject(s): International Trade and Finance