Preferential trade agreements and the WTO
WTO Director Pascal Lam: 'I believe that to the extent that PTAs are motivated by a desire for deeper integration rather than market segmentation, there could be a role for the WTO to promote greater coherence among non-competing but divergent regulatory regimes that in practice cause geographical fragmentation or raise trade costs.' (Photo: AAP)

Authors: Nadia Rocha and Robert Teh, WTO

Participation in preferential trade agreements (PTAs) has grown rapidly in recent years.

In 1990, there were only about 70 PTAs in force. Thereafter, PTA activity accelerated noticeably; by 2010 the number of PTAs in force was close to 300. Read more…