Regional trade agreements are multiplying and changing their nature. In 1990, 50 trade agreements were in force. In 2017, there were more than 280. In many trade agreements, negotiations today go beyond tariffs and cover several policy areas relating to trade and investment in goods and services, including rules that go beyond borders, such as competition policy, public procurement rules and intellectual property rights. ATRs, which cover tariffs and other border measures, are “flat” agreements; THE RTAs, which cover more policy areas at the border and at the back of the border, are “deep” agreements. Today, ATRs are evolving in a way that goes beyond existing multilateral rules. The areas that cover them – investment, capital and people, competition and state-owned enterprises, e-commerce, anti-corruption and intellectual property rights – are key policy issues that need to be addressed in today`s more interconnected markets. Mega-regional initiatives are of a completely new scale and allow preferential access to Member States` markets by attempting to conclude 21st century trade agreements with deep and comprehensive market integration. Ensure consistency between negotiations on various agreements, including the interface with multilateral rules. Many governments are increasingly recognizing the need to ensure that trade and investment agreements reflect environmental concerns in order to contribute to cross-cutting environmental objectives and increase public acceptance. The report focuses on the practices available to ensure that investment provisions reaffirm the national area of environmental policy.

Report on the treatment of medical devices in regional trade agreements (RTA) The preferential trade agreement requires the lowest level of commitment to the removal of trade barriers Trade barriers are legal measures taken primarily to protect a country`s national economy. They generally reduce the amount of goods and services that can be imported. These barriers are put in place in the form of tariffs or taxes and, although Member States do not remove barriers between them. There are also no common trade barriers in preferential trade zones. discussions on the formulation and implementation of trade policy, particularly in the context of WTO accession negotiations. Regional trade agreements (ATRs) have multiplied over the years and have achieved, including a significant increase in major multilateral agreements being negotiated. Non-discrimination between trading partners is one of the fundamental principles of the WTO; However, reciprocal preferential agreements between two or more partners are one of the exceptions and are allowed by the WTO subject to a number of provisions. Information on WTO-notified ATRs is available in the RTA database. Successful management of this complex and rapidly evolving mass of political and economic agreements requires understanding global changes, understanding the effects of trade on national development interests and priorities, and promoting consensus on removing barriers to trade and a commitment to more open and equitable international trade. Nairobi Maafikiano, THE final unCTAD 14 document, says UNCTAD should “continue to monitor and assess developments in the international trading system and development trends, with particular attention to its potential contribution to sustainable development goals.”