REGIONAL COOPERATION AND ECONOMIC INTEGRATION

REGIONAL COOPERATION AND ECONOMIC INTEGRATION REGIONAL COOPERATION AND ECONOMIC INTEGRATION

25.12.2014 Views

REGIONAL TRADE AGREEMENTS AND REGIONAL COOPERATION stagnant situation in the multilateral trade liberalization process. Stagnation is protruded from 2001 due to stand still situation regarding the process of agreement based on Doha Development Agenda (Doha…). Development of a number of new RTAs or broader of EIAs in past decade or so could be partially at least contributed to the stagnation in the process of multilateral trade negotiations. Chart 1: Explosion of the RTAs number after 1990s (1948- 2008)* * Chart 1 shows all RTAs notified to the GATT/WTO (1948-2008), including inactive RTAs, by year of entry into force Source: WTO Secretariat Other reason stimulating RTAs number growth, especial the reasons for their number explosion after 1994 are result of new global economic and technological changes and developments. Befor explaining such reasons let us observe that process of RTAs number growth and concept of multilateral trade liberalization are closely interlinked. The evidence of their interdependence is seen from formal obligation that all WTO members have. They have to report RTAs establishment to WTO. In the period 1948-1994, the GATT received 124 notifications of RTAs (relating to trade in goods), and since the creation of the WTO in 1995, almost 300 additional arrangements covering trade in goods or services have been notified. WTO members (as, previously, GATT contracting parties) are bound to notify the regional trade agreements (RTAs) in which they participate. Nearly all of the WTO’s Members have notified participation in one or more RTAs (some Members are party to twenty or more). Notifications may also refer to the accession of new parties to an agreement that already exists, e.g. the notification of the accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union Customs Union. Reasons for RTAs accelerated number growth after 1994 is partially based on fast and in 3

PART I: the past never experienced large increase technological achievements. This achievements are characterizes by two specifics. The number of new technical solutions important for standard and new production or to other business activities is growing fast in last decades; inventions in telephony, electronic, informatics and elsewhere else in economy based on interactions of inventions mentioned already. The second in past economic history newer experienced fact about technological solutions in last decades is that new inventions have relative short live in economic terms because new inventions make them obsolete or change the specifics an abilities related to older inventions. A good example is fast aging in reducing use of telefax machines. Nowadays only around 20 years after their first commercial introduction, fax machines are mostly replaced by multiple functional scanning and printing devices which are supported directly by computers. Technological progress offers new challenges and opportunities to business. Due to its relative faster change and introduction of more able new technological it pushes businesses into stronger competition by cutting production and other costs and increasing quality and multi functionality of products. Businesses can be fast in introducing and replacing new technologies if they can earn much and fast on their implementation. Product based on use of new technology need larger free accessible markets. Concept of large free market open markets, exceeding even the market potential of the largest world economies, are demanded by all industries and businesses (MNCs) involved in producing and trading standard or easy to imitate products often called commoditized products (Peng, 2009, p.91). Competitive elements important to succeed on the market with such types of products are mostly reduced only to level of price competition. Easy and secure investments (FDIs) and easy access to the large market to utilize the economics of scale effects are (or have been) the must important bases for business success of companies dealing in commoditized productions. On the other side those product are becoming increasingly important in GDP formation of many emerging market countries, who partially from that reason too often involve themselves into overlapping integration (RTAs) schemes (see chart 2). In many cases sectors of so called commoditized production are still important for GDP formation in developed countries too. Among such important industries in developed nations whether due to the their part in GDP formation or due to high share of employed workers, most important are: car production, textile and closing production and trading, pharmaceutical products in the generic segment, products for sport and entertainment (bicycles, gym and fitness equipment,..), home appliances and many other industries and products. 4

PART I:<br />

the past never experienced large increase technological achievements. This achievements<br />

are characterizes by two specifics. The number of new technical solutions important for<br />

standard and new production or to other business activities is growing fast in last decades;<br />

inventions in telephony, electronic, informatics and elsewhere else in economy based on<br />

interactions of inventions mentioned already. The second in past economic history newer<br />

experienced fact about technological solutions in last decades is that new inventions<br />

have relative short live in economic terms because new inventions make them obsolete<br />

or change the specifics an abilities related to older inventions. A good example is fast<br />

aging in reducing use of telefax machines. Nowadays only around 20 years after their first<br />

commercial introduction, fax machines are mostly replaced by multiple functional scanning<br />

and printing devices which are supported directly by computers. Technological progress<br />

offers new challenges and opportunities to business. Due to its relative faster change and<br />

introduction of more able new technological it pushes businesses into stronger competition<br />

by cutting production and other costs and increasing quality and multi functionality of<br />

products. Businesses can be fast in introducing and replacing new technologies if they can<br />

earn much and fast on their implementation. Product based on use of new technology need<br />

larger free accessible markets. Concept of large free market open markets, exceeding even<br />

the market potential of the largest world economies, are demanded by all industries and<br />

businesses (MNCs) involved in producing and trading standard or easy to imitate products<br />

often called commoditized products (Peng, 2009, p.91). Competitive elements important<br />

to succeed on the market with such types of products are mostly reduced only to level<br />

of price competition. Easy and secure investments (FDIs) and easy access to the large<br />

market to utilize the economics of scale effects are (or have been) the must important<br />

bases for business success of companies dealing in commoditized productions. On the<br />

other side those product are becoming increasingly important in GDP formation of many<br />

emerging market countries, who partially from that reason too often involve themselves<br />

into overlapping integration (RTAs) schemes (see chart 2).<br />

In many cases sectors of so called commoditized production are still important for GDP<br />

formation in developed countries too. Among such important industries in developed<br />

nations whether due to the their part in GDP formation or due to high share of employed<br />

workers, most important are: car production, textile and closing production and trading,<br />

pharmaceutical products in the generic segment, products for sport and entertainment<br />

(bicycles, gym and fitness equipment,..), home appliances and many other industries and<br />

products.<br />

4

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!