This article examines how the GATT Article XXIV regional trade agreement (RTA) exception can be strengthened to curb the proliferation of RTAs that maintain questionable levels of trade liberalization. The lack of rigorous application of the ‘substantially all the trade' requirement and the...

A mega-RTA such as the planned Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) or the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) may overlap another RTA, with the result that some of the parties to the mega-RTA's overlapping RTA may become common parties, while others may remain as single-agreement...