This book assesses the impact and design of optimal strategies to implement existing agreements. It deals with issues such as removing the remaining barriers to trade, improving the institutional, regional, and global trade architecture, and promoting convergence and accumulation among the...

After posting double digit gains in 2010-2011, Latin America's export growth declined to just 1.5% in 2012 for a total value of slightly more than $1 trillion, according to figures just released by the Integration and Trade Sector of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). These results...

This book assesses the impact and design of optimal strategies to implement existing agreements. It deals with issues such as removing the remaining barriers to trade, improving the institutional, regional, and global trade architecture, and promoting convergence and accumulation among the...

This paper maps out Rules of Origin (RoO) in regional trade agreements (RTAs) around the world, and observes that the restrictiveness and complexity of RoO are driven by factors specific to each RTA, including economy size and level of development.

The paper presents some cautionary arguments with respect to the relationship between rules of origin and development, and proposes an alternative mechanism, extended cumulation, by which the problems generated by burdensome rules of origin might be alleviated without jeopardizing the...

Presents information about several mechanisms by which the barriers imposed by rules of origin may be reduced through effective trade facilitation efforts. Also discussed are the functional similarities of a variety of other requirements on international trade with rules of origin, including...