Trade Integration as a Way Forward for the Arab World : A Regional Agenda

The current political turmoil for more open and participative societies in many Arab countries coupled with the emergence of new growth poles around the world could create the conditions for a big push toward greater regional and global trade integration of the Arab world. Further integrating Arab countries among themselves and opening up the region to the rest of the world are two complementary avenues to improve market access, promote behind-the-border regulatory reforms, facilitate cooperation on regional public goods, foster the emergence of an "Arab factory" through regional supply chains and productions networks, and eventually create the conditions for more and better paid jobs for the growing Arab workforce. A more ambitious trade agenda in the context of the Pan-Arab Free Trade Area would be a good place to start. Although difficult and challenging, and requiring a good dosage of flexibility and variable geometry, such an agenda would consist of (1) completing the free movement of goods within the Pan-Arab Free Trade Area, notably through the elimination of unnecessary non-tariff barriers; (2) implementing a regional initiative to liberalize services trade, including identifying a number of pilot service sectors for early regional liberalization; and (3) strengthening the rules and discipline applicable to regional trade and other policies of common interest.

Bibliographic Details

Main Author:	Chauffour, Jean-Pierre
Language:	English
Published:	2011-02-01
Subjects:	AD VALOREM, AGREEMENT ON TRADE, AIR TRANSPORT, ANCHOR COUNTRY, ARAB FREE TRADE AGREEMENT, AUDITS, AVERAGE TARIFF, BARRIERS TO ENTRY, BILATERAL TRADE, BLOC TRADE, BORDER TRADE, BROKERAGE, BUSINESS REGULATIONS, CARRIERS, COMMON MARKET, COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES, COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGE, COMPETITIVE REGIONS, CONCESSIONS, CROSS-BORDER TRADE, CURRENCY, CUSTOMS, CUSTOMS CLEARANCE, CUSTOMS PROCEDURES, CUSTOMS UNION, DEMAND ELASTICITIES, DEMOCRACIES, DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, DEVELOPING ECONOMIES, DEVELOPING WORLD, DISPUTE SETTLEMENT, DISPUTE SETTLEMENT MECHANISM, DOMESTIC LAW, DOMESTIC MARKETS, DOMESTIC PRODUCERS, ECONOMIC CONVERGENCE, ECONOMIC CRISIS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS, ECONOMIC INTEGRATION, ECONOMIC POWERS, ECONOMIC REFORM, ENFORCEMENT MECHANISMS, EUROPEAN UNION, EXPORT DIVERSIFICATION, EXPORT GROWTH, EXPORT SHARE, EXPORT STRUCTURE, EXPORTERS, EXPORTS, EXPOSURE, EXTERNAL MARKETS, EXTERNAL TARIFF, EXTERNAL TARIFFS, FACTORY GATE, FINAL GOODS, FINANCIAL CRISIS, FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS, FINANCIAL SERVICES, FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT, FOREIGN FIRMS, FOREIGN INVESTMENT, FOREIGN OWNERSHIP, FREE MOVEMENT OF LABOR, FREE TRADE, FREE TRADE AGREEMENTS, FREE TRADE AREA, FREIGHT FORWARDERS, GENERAL AGREEMENT ON TRADE IN SERVICES, GLOBAL COMPETITIVENESS, GLOBAL COMPETITORS, GLOBAL INTEGRATION, GLOBAL TRADE, GLOBAL TRADING, GLOBALIZATION, GOVERNMENT ACTION, GRAVITY MODEL, GRAVITY MODELS, HARMONIZATION, HARMONIZATION OF REGULATIONS, HIGH TARIFFS, HUMAN CAPITAL, IMPORT PROTECTION, IMPROVING MARKET ACCESS, INCOME, INCOME GROUP, INCOME GROUPS, INDUSTRIAL COUNTRIES, INFORMATION FLOW, INFORMATION SHARING, INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITIES, INSURANCE, INTERMEDIATE INPUTS, INTERNATIONAL BANK, INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION, INTERNATIONAL TRADE, INTRA-REGIONAL TRADE, INTRAREGIONAL TRADE, INVESTMENT CLIMATE, INVESTMENT LIBERALIZATION, JOB CREATION, LABOR MARKETS, LABOR PRODUCTIVITY, LIBERALIZATION AGENDA, LIBERALIZING SERVICES, MARKET ACCESS, MARKET FAILURES, MARKET REGULATIONS, MIDDLE-INCOME COUNTRIES, MULTILATERAL LEVEL, MUTUAL RECOGNITION, NATIONAL TREATMENT, NET EXPORTERS, NEW MARKETS, NEW PRODUCTS, NON-TARIFF BARRIERS, NON-TARIFF MEASURES, OIL PRICE, OPEN MARKET, OPEN MARKET ECONOMIES, OPEN MARKETS, OPENNESS, PENETRATION RATES, POLICY RESEARCH, POLITICAL ECONOMY, POLITICAL SYSTEM, POLITICAL UPHEAVALS, PREFERENTIAL ARRANGEMENTS, PREFERENTIAL TRADE, PREFERENTIAL TRADE AGREEMENTS, PRIVATE SECTOR, PRIVATE SECTOR DEVELOPMENT, PRODUCTION NETWORKS, PROTECTIONIST PRESSURES, PUBLIC GOODS, RED TAPE, REFORM PROGRAMS, REGIONAL AGREEMENTS, REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT, REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT BANKS, REGIONAL EXCHANGE, REGIONAL INSTITUTIONS, REGIONAL INTEGRATION, REGIONAL INTEGRATION AGREEMENTS, REGIONAL LEVEL, REGIONAL LIBERALIZATION, REGIONAL POWERS, REGIONAL TRADE, REGIONAL TRADE AGREEMENTS, REGIONAL TRADE INTEGRATION, REGIONALISM, REGULATORS, REGULATORY FRAMEWORKS, REGULATORY OVERSIGHT, REGULATORY POLICIES, REGULATORY REFORM, REGULATORY REFORMS, REGULATORY REGIME, REGULATORY SYSTEM, RULE OF LAW, RULES OF ORIGIN, SAVINGS, SECURITIES, SETTLEMENT OF DISPUTES, SETTLEMENT SYSTEMS, SPECIALIZATION, SUSTAINABLE GROWTH, TARIFF BARRIERS, TARIFF EQUIVALENT, TARIFF PROTECTION, TARIFF RATES, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, TECHNICAL BARRIERS, THIRD WORLD, TRADE AGENDA, TRADE BARRIERS, TRADE COSTS, TRADE DIVERSION, TRADE DIVERSION COSTS, TRADE EFFECTS, TRADE FACILITATION, TRADE FLOWS, TRADE INTEGRATION, TRADE INTENSITY, TRADE INTENSITY INDICES, TRADE LIBERALIZATION, TRADE LOGISTICS, TRADE NEGOTIATIONS, TRADE PARTNERS, TRADE PERFORMANCE, TRADE POLICIES, TRADE POLICY, TRADE PREFERENCES, TRADE REGULATIONS, TRADE RULES, TRADE TAXES, TRADE TRANSACTION, TRADING PARTNERS, TRANSPARENCY, TRANSPORT COSTS, TREATY OBLIGATIONS, UNILATERAL LIBERALIZATION, UNILATERAL TRADE, WORLD ECONOMY, WORLD EXPORTS, WORLD TRADE,
Online Access:	http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/main?menuPK=64187510&pagePK=64193027&piPK=64187937&theSitePK=523679&menuPK=64187510&searchMenuPK=64187283&siteName=WDS&entityID=000158349_20110228144121 https://hdl.handle.net/10986/3347
Tags:	Add Tag No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!