Toward an enabling set of rules of origin for the regional comprehensive economic partnership

With overlapping, multiple free trade agreements (FTAs), such as the case of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the various ASEAN+1 FTAs, complications that run counter to the economic integration objectives of the East Asian region could arise. Forging the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) among ASEAN and its FTA partners is a next logical step. How facilitative the rules of origin (ROO) provisions are could prove crucial in maximizing the potential benefits. This paper revisits the nature of ROOs in ASEAN and the various ASEAN+1 FTAs to examine the surrounding constraints and issues, as well as to provide recommendations on the beneficial set of ROOs for the RCEP and serve as inputs for policymakers and negotiators.