I propose a network/search view of international trade in differentiated products. I present evidence that supports the view that proximity and common language/colonial ties are more important for differentiated products than for products traded on organized exchanges in matching international...

This paper constructs new measures of regional trading arrangement (RTA) membership based on the degree of integration and implementation. We find that RTAs create intra-bloc trade regardless of their type and that more integrated RTAs generate greater total trade creation