Regional economic integration agreements are considered to be important policy mechanisms to address regional developmental asymmetries. The Asian reality is characterized by developmental asymmetries across countries on the one hand and a lack of comprehensive pan-Asian formal regional economic...

As Asia considers greater harmonization and integration of its financial systems, it would be well-advised to consider the experience of Europe, particularly the eurozone. There are many lessons to be drawn from Europe about how to implement such integration, mostly negative. It is particularly...

This paper assesses the nexus between changes in governance structures - at national and cooperative international levels - and evolutionary processes of economic integration in light of regional policy targets in Asia. The analysis highlights the importance of improved governance as an...

This paper discusses Japan's strategy for Asian monetary integration. It argues that Japan faces three major policy challenges when promoting intraregional exchange rate stability. First, there must be some convergence of exchange rate regimes in East Asia, and the most realistic option is for...

Regional economic integration is back in vogue following the "stumble" in the Doha Round in July 2008. Preferential trade agreements (PTAs) are driving this trend in Asia and the Pacific as well as in Central and South America, and the sheer volume of PTAs is striking. In the 1990s there were...

This paper examines the developments of cross-border portfolio assets and liabilities in the Asia and Pacific region over the periods of 2001-2017. Rapid increases in both portfolio foreign assets and liabilities have taken place particularly after the 2008-2009 global financial crisis. These...

The European Union (EU) is one of the most successful integration arrangements in the world. However, the disintegration in Europe through Brexit is puzzling. This article aims to clarify this dilemma by addressing the following questions: Was the former French President, de Gaulle, right that...

This paper reviews the creation and evolution of the European Economic Monetary Union (EEMU) and discusses the insights and perspectives of the key lessons for Asian economic integration utilizing an extensive review of the literature method. In order to implement a common monetary and economic...

Sweden became a member of the European Union (EU) in 1995. Since then, she has been integrated into the EU's internal market under the Single Market Programme (SMP). Before Sweden's accession to the EU, she was a member of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) signed with the EU in 1972....

Galvanized by the devastation of the Second World War, European countries achieved a historically unprecedented and unparalleled level of regional economic integration in the postwar period. Intensive cooperation between the two biggest powers of continental Western Europe, France, and Germany,...