Asian Free Trade Agreements and WTO Compatibility

The following sections are included:

• Dedication
• Preface
• Summary of Contents
• Table of Contents
• List of Illustrations
• List of Abbreviations

The following sections are included:

• WTO Compatibility, WTO Consistency and WTO Friendliness
• Overarching Research Question of the Study

The following sections are included:

• Introduction
• First-generation Literature: Open Regionalism
• Second-generation Literature
• Analytical Framework for WTO Friendliness of FTAs
• Summary

The following sections are included:

• Introduction
• Difference in Multilateral Principles of Regionalism: GATT Article XXIV versus Enabling Clause
• Analytical Framework for Assessing the Openness of Enabling Clause-based FTAs
• Overview of FTAs around the World
• Empirical Study of Enabling Clause-based FTAs in Asia
• Policy Issues of Bilateral Enabling Clause-based FTAs
• Summary
• Appendix 3.1: GATT Article XXIV
• Appendix 3.2: Understanding on the Interpretation of Article XXIV of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994
• Appendix 3.3: Differential and More Favourable Treatment Reciprocity and Fuller Participation of Developing Countries

The following sections are included:

• Introduction
• Difference in Multilateral Principle of Regionalism: Trade Liberalization versus Trade Facilitation
• Analytical Framework for Assessing the Openness of Regional Trade Facilitation
• Overview on Trade Facilitation Measures under FTAs in the World
• Discriminatory and Non-discriminatory Cases of Regional Trade Facilitation
• Policy Suggestions: Minimizing Negative Externality of Regional Trade Facilitation
• Summary

The following sections are included:

• Introduction
• Differences in Multilateral Principles of Regionalism: Goods versus Services
• Analytical Framework for Assessing the Openness of Regional Services Agreements
• Overview on Regional Services Agreements
• Case Study: Achievements of the ASEAN Framework Agreement on Services
• Policy Issues: Regional Services Agreements as a Trigger for Services Reforms
• Summary
• Appendix 5.1: GATS Article V Economic Integration

The following sections are included:

• Introduction
• Multilateral Governance on Developmental Issues
• Analytical Framework for WTO-plus Elements of Technical Assistance under FTAs
• Overview on Technical Assistance Provisions under WTO Agreements
• Case Study: Technical Assistance under Japan–ASEAN EPAs
• Policy Implications: The Developmental Perspective of Regionalism Debates
• Summary
• Appendix 6.1: Technical Assistance Provisions in WTO Agreements

The conclusion chapter has two main tasks. First, we will summarize the main empirical findings of this study in terms of the overarching research question. We examined the relationship between FTAs and WTO from various angles, and there are many interesting findings and observations, which are uncommon in existing studies. Second, we will consider policies that make FTAs compatible with WTO. Since at the end of each empirical chapter, we have already considered policy issues relating to the WTO compatibility of regional initiatives in a particular field, the discussion here will focus on “counter-intuitive” policy implications of this study. What is widely considered as a standard policy to enhance the WTO compatibility of FTAs in conventional studies may need to be revised, given that recent FTAs cover various issue areas in addition to preferential tariff liberalization.

The following sections are included:

• References
• Index