Preferential Trade Agreements in the Asia-Pacific Region

IMF Working Papers, July 1, 2005

Source details

Canonical URL

Preferential Trade Agreements in the Asia-Pacific Region

Other formats

• Markdown version
• Structured JSON version
• Bundle manifest

Bibliographic details

• Authors: Tubagus Feridhanusetyawan
• Published: July 1, 2005
• Series: IMF Working Papers
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.5089/9781451861686.001

Overview

• Preferential trade agreements (PTAs) in the Asia-Pacific region have proliferated rapidly over the past five years and are creating a complex web of intersecting bilateral and regional trade agreements.
• The paper describes the proliferation of these PTAs, discusses their characteristics and implementation, and assesses their potential effects.
• Realizing potential gains from Asia-Pacific PTAs depends on several implementation and policy factors; administrative complications could undermine gains.

Major findings and assessments

• Proliferation: PTAs in the Asia-Pacific region have increased rapidly over the past five years, producing a complex network of intersecting bilateral and regional agreements.
• Characteristics and implementation: The paper examines the specific characteristics of Asia-Pacific PTAs and how they are implemented by participating countries.
• Potential effects: The paper assesses potential gains from PTAs and identifies conditions required to realize those gains.
• Risks to gains:
  • Lack of liberalization in sensitive sectors can limit potential benefits.
  • Inconsistent provisions across agreements can reduce effectiveness.
  • Weak enforcement of agreements can undermine outcomes.
  • Administrative complications may offset any potential gains.

Policy recommendations and prerequisites to realize gains

• Commit to liberalize sensitive sectors to unlock potential benefits from PTAs.
• Maintain consistent provisions across agreements to avoid fragmentation and reduce compliance costs.
• Enforce agreements effectively to ensure promised benefits accrue.
• Address administrative complications that could undermine PTA benefits through improved procedures and capacity.

Subject areas and keywords

• Subject: Customs unions, Tariffs, Trade agreements, Trade liberalization, Valuation, origin and classification
• Keywords: ASEAN member, ASEAN secretariat, ASEAN trade, Asia-Pacific PTAs, framework agreement, tariff reduction, trade diversion, WP

Content in this bundle

• 1. PTAs Involving Asia-Pacific Countries
  • 1. PTAs Involving Asia-Pacific Countries (Markdown version)
  • 1. PTAs Involving Asia-Pacific Countries (PDF)