Because of concern that OECD tariff reductions will translate intoworsening export performance for the least developed countries, trade preferences haveproven a stumbling block to developing country support for multilateral liberalization.We examine the actual scope for preference erosion,...

With the signature of the Asuncion Treaty by Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay in July 1991, the four countries implemented an ambitious program to reduce tariffs and non-tariff barriers on their reciprocal trade; a common policy toward third countries was implemented in 1995. As MERCOSUR...

A central statement of the theory of natural trading partners is that preferential trading with regional trading partners is less likely to be trade diverting and therefore geographically proximate partners are to be considered "natural" partners for preferential arrangements. This paper...