NCCR - IP3 Conference on Multilateralising Regionalism

The explosion of regional agreements in many parts of the world over the last decade and a half raises important questions about what this trend means for multilateral trade relations in an increasingly globalized world. There is much literature that seeks to explain and understand what motivates regionalism. But little has been written about the consequences for future trade relations of a continued splintering of trading arrangements into dozens of often overlapping and potentially inconsistent agreements. Is there a point at which this process finds its own saturation level? Or will the political and economic costs of increasing fragmentation lead to a reversal of regionalism?

Multilateralising Regionalism is a two and a half day conference dedicated to exploring these issues, and in particular, the relationship between regionalism and the multilateral trading system. The first two days of the conference will explore how regional trade agreements might be tamed through a multilaterally based approach to redefining trade cooperation. The final half-day will consist of a high-level discussion by policymakers and scholars of the issues teased out in the first part of the conference.

Papers presented at the Conference Final Programme

Monday 10 September

Michael Gasiorek, Patricia Augier and Charles Lai-Tong, "Multilateralising Regionalism: Relaxing Rules of Origin or can those PECS be flexed?"
Catherine L. Mann and Xuepeng Liu, "The Information Technology Agreement: Sui Generis or Model Stepping Stone?"
Gary Hufbauer and Jeffrey Schott, "Fitting Asia-Pacific Agreements into the WTO System".pdf
Peter Draper and Mzukisi Qobo, "Rabbits caught in the headlights? Africa and the Multilateralizing Regionalism".pdf
Antoni Estevadeordal, Matthew Shearer and Kati Suominen, "Multilateralising RTAs in the Americas: state of play and ways forward".pdf
Carsten Fink and Marion Jansen "Services Provisions in Regional Trade Agreements: Stumbling or Building Blocks for Multilateral Liberalization?".pdf

Tuesday 11 September

Antoni Estevadeordal, Jeremy Harris and Kati Suominen, "Harmonizing Preferential Rules of Origin Regimes around the World".pdf
Richard Baldwin, Simon Evenett and Patrick Low, Beyond Tariffs: Multilateralising deeper RTA Commitments.pdf
Masahiro Kawai and Ganesh Wignaraja, "ASEAN+3 or ASEAN+6: Which way forward?".pdf
Joost Pauwelyn, "Legal Avenues to “Multilateralising Regionalism”: Beyond Article XXIV".pdf
Bernard Hoekman and L Alan Winters, "Multilateralizing ‘Deep Regional Integration’: A Developing Country Perspective".pdf
Jim Rollo, "The Challenge of Negotiating PTA’s for Developing Countries: What Could the WTO do to Help?".pdf

For more details send an email to using the words September Conference in the header.