Bilateral and Regional Trade Agreements

The stalling of the Doha Development Round trade negotiations has resulted in bilateral and regional free trade agreements (BRTAs) becoming an important alternative. These agreements have proliferated in recent years, and now all of the major trading countries are engaging in serious bilateral trade negotiations with multiple trading partners. Volume 1 of this two-volume set provides updated and comprehensive analysis of the contents of recent BRTAs, while Volume 2 provides case studies originating from multiple regions and covering the most important substantive issues. Authored by leading scholars and practitioners, each case study offers comprehensive analysis of the featured BRTA, and the format allows for quick comparisons. This work is unique in that it situates these agreements in their economic, international law and international relations contexts. It also reviews the recent agreements in relation to each substantive topic covered (such as intellectual property, investment, services, and social policy), thereby providing an overview of the law being created.