Working Paper: NBER ID: w11232
Authors: O. G. Dayaratna Banda; John Whalley
Abstract: We discuss recent bilateral, regional, and country trade, partnership, and economic agreements involving both ASEAN as a single entity and individual ASEAN countries (Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia) focusing on their reach beyond conventional trade in goods and services issues. What emerges is of a picture of ill-defined general commitments and precise undertaking, which vary from element to element and country pair to country pair. These agreements are recent, but they are numerous and more are under negotiation. We separately synthesize and evaluate provisions in five areas: competition policy, investment, mutual recognition, movement of persons, and broader cooperation.
Keywords: ASEAN; trade agreements; competition policy; investment; mutual recognition
JEL Codes: F00; F02; F11; F15
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| recent bilateral and regional trade agreements involving ASEAN countries (F15) | fill voids left by failed multilateral negotiations (F55) |
| recent bilateral and regional trade agreements involving ASEAN countries (F15) | shape future multilateral disciplines (F02) |
| these agreements (F53) | serve as precedents for subsequent regional negotiations (F15) |
| these agreements (F53) | provide a platform for ongoing policy discussions (O20) |
| Singapore-US agreement (F53) | influence future negotiations (D74) |