Resource Desk
Add globalEDGE to your google toolbar and search the International Business Resource Desk directly.
Regional Trade Agreements
The African Union is an organization for regional, social, and economic cooperation. The website provides detailed information about all major economic cooperation programs in Africa. The information includes the participating countries, official documents, major events, and press releases. The website is available in multiple languages.
Tags: Regional, Africa, Regions
Last reviewed by globalEDGE on: October 21, 2009
AFRICA: East African Community (EAC)
The East African Community website provides detailed information about the history, structure, and participating countries of the organization. Also, social and economic cooperation programs and activities within the community are included. In addition, it provides news and publications regarding the latest community developments.
Tags: Regions, Regional, Africa
Last reviewed by globalEDGE on: October 21, 2009
AFRICA: South Africa Development Community (SADC)
The South Africa Development Community site provides information regarding the structure and legal documents of the organization, and of the participating countries. It has different sub-sections focusing respectively on food and agricultural issues, trade and industry cooperation, and social programs within the region. The website is also available in French and Portuguese.
Tags: Africa, Regional, Regions
Last reviewed by globalEDGE on: October 21, 2009
AFRICA: Union Economique et Monetaire Ouest Africaine (UEMOA)
UEMOA is composed of Bening, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Mali, Guinea-Bissau, Niger, Senegal, and Togo. Its purpose is to unite members through competition in an open market. Available only in French.
Tags: Regions, Regional, Africa
Last reviewed by globalEDGE on: October 21, 2009
ASIA & MIDDLE EAST: Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)
APEC is "the premier forum for facilitating economic growth, cooperation, trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific region." Information includes news, economies of the 21-member countries, a business center, publications, a virtual library, and a database of useful links.
Tags: Trade Portals, Trade Tutorials, Regional, Asia & Middle East, Regions
Last reviewed by globalEDGE on: November 5, 2009
ASIA & MIDDLE EAST: Asia-Pacific Trade and Investment Agreements Database
The Asia-Pacific Trade and Investment Agreements Database is a product of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). Features include a searchable trade agreements database and interactive trade indicators, a component designed to help policymakers calculate some of the most commonly used indicators related to an economy’s trade profile. The site also allows access to a number of other helpful trade resources and ESCAP research.
Tags: Regions, Asia & Middle East, Regional
Last reviewed by globalEDGE on: October 21, 2009
ASIA & MIDDLE EAST: Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
This site focuses on the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) and includes various sections such as economic and social indicators for each member country, developments in the political arena, basic political documents signed by member countries, and ASEAN's activities in economic cooperation. It also provides information on the trade and investment policies of member countries.
Tags: Regional, Asia & Middle East, Regions
Last reviewed by globalEDGE on: October 21, 2009
ASIA & MIDDLE EAST: Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC)
The Gulf Cooperation Council provides detailed information about the foundation and structure of the organization. It also provides legal documents, press releases, publications, and statistics of the organization, as well as information about its major activities. Not all content available in English.
Tags: Regions, Asia & Middle East, Regional
Last reviewed by globalEDGE on: October 21, 2009
ASIA & MIDDLE EAST: South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)
The SAARC site offers information about regional cooperation in South Asian countries, including cooperation in the areas of agriculture, biotech, communication technology, energy, environment, and human resources. SAARC offers the latest news, press releases, and publications of the organization. It also allows readers to dowload the declarations of all its summits.
Tags: Regional, Asia & Middle East, Regions
Last reviewed by globalEDGE on: October 21, 2009
EUROPE: European Free Trade Association (EFTA)
The European Free Trade Association (EFTA) is an international organization composed by Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland promoting free trade and economic integration. The site has three sections: EFTA Secretariat, Surveillance Authority, and EFTA Court. In the Secretariat, the visitor can find the latest news covering trade agreements with EFTA. The Surveillance Authority aims to guarantee the free movement within the Agreement in the European Economic Area and provides access to legal texts. The EFTA Court fulfills the judicial function within the EFTA system and it also gives the visitor access to legal texts and cases.
Tags: Regions, Europe, Regional
Last reviewed by globalEDGE on: October 21, 2009
EUROPE: External Trade of European Union
External Trade of European Union is a sub-section of the official EU website focusing on trade cooperation with other worldwide regions. It provides information about the commission, structure, legal framework, and programs of the EU external trade cooperation activities. It also provides the latest news on this topic, as well as links to related EU documents.
Tags: Regional, Europe, Regions
Last reviewed by globalEDGE on: October 21, 2009
EUROPE: Regional Trade Agreements in the ECE (Economic Commission for Europe)
Regional Trade Agreements in the ECE is a web blog used by staff of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe for sharing and gathering research information on Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs). Focusing mostly on RTAs in Southeast Europe, the Commonwealth of Independent States and Central Asia, the site also centers on RTAs in Western and Central Europe and North America. Finally, it posts some information about RTAs in other parts of the world, for comparison purposes.
Tags: Regions, Europe, Regional
Last reviewed by globalEDGE on: October 21, 2009
Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA)
The FTAA provides information about the negotiations and agreements of an initiative by 34 democracies in the western hemisphere to unite their economies into a single free trade arrangement by 2005. Ministerial declarations, negotiation groups, a trade and tariff database, and links to participating countries are available. Currently, FTAA discussions have been postponed and the website shows the most recent progress of the effort (in 2006). Site offered in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and French.
Tags: Global
Last reviewed by globalEDGE on: October 27, 2009
Global Union Research Network: Bilateral and Regional Trade Agreement
Bilateral and Regional Trade Agreement is a sub-section of the Global Union Research Network, which is sponsored by Trade Union. It provides new and featured articles about trade agreements, commentary by Trade Union on major bilateral and regional trade agreements, and links to trade agreement related websites.
Tags: Global
Last reviewed by globalEDGE on: October 21, 2009
globalEDGE Business Review: Why CAFTA Faces Opposition
Executive Briefing: CAFTA was signed in 2004 in spite of substantial opposition to it in the Dominican Republic and Central America. Supporters say CAFTA will encourage each member to find and rely on its comparative advantage. However, critics use historical evidence to illustrate that CAFTA's provisions are harmful, both financially and environmentally, to citizens of Central America and the Dominican Republic. Opens in PDF format.
Tags: Global, Latin America, North America, Regions
Last reviewed by globalEDGE on: November 19, 2009
LATIN AMERICA: Andean Community (CAN)
Among other goals, the Andean Community strives for the development and integration of member countries and for progress in the standard of living. The website provides information on economic policies, treaties and legislation, trade in goods and services, common foreign policy, and much more. While some publications must be purchased, access to documents (including the declarations of the CAN) is free. The site is also available in Spanish.
Tags: Regions, Latin America, Regional
Last reviewed by globalEDGE on: October 21, 2009
LATIN AMERICA: Caribbean Community (CARICOM)
The Caribbean Community Secretariat offers unique information relating to the Caribbean including regional issues, human and social development topics, and region specific history. Related Links is a great resource for Caribbean news, government information, and educational institutions.
Tags: Regional, Latin America, Regions
Last reviewed by globalEDGE on: October 21, 2009
MERCOSUR is a customs union incorporating the countries of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. Available only in Spanish or Portuguese.
Tags: Regions, Latin America, Regional
Last reviewed by globalEDGE on: October 21, 2009
LATIN AMERICA: SICE: Free Trade Agreements
Free Trade Agreements is a sub-section of the official SICE (the Organization of American State's Foreign Trade Information System) website. It offers documents of the specific trade agreements as well as of other relating topics. In addition, information on customs unions and preferential agreements is available. Some documents are also available in Spanish, French, or Portuguese.
Tags: Regional, Latin America, Regions
Last reviewed by globalEDGE on: October 21, 2009
NORTH AMERICA: NAFTA Secretariat
NAFTA Secretariat, which administers the North American Free Trade Agreement dispute resolution processes, explains the requirements and processes of dispute settlement through this web site. Also, the site provides information about NAFTA itself. (English, French and Spanish versions are available.)
Tags: Regions, North America, Regional
Last reviewed by globalEDGE on: October 21, 2009
NORTH AMERICA: North American Free Trade Agreement
The United States Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agricultural Service outlines the history, progress, and implications of the North American Free Trade Agreement.
Tags: Regional, North America, Regions
Last reviewed by globalEDGE on: October 21, 2009
Singapore-Australia Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA)
Part of the Australian Government website, the Singapore-Australia Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA) site contains the full text of the agreement as well as a guide explaining the agreement and how it has enhanced Australian accessibility to the Singapore market.
Tags: Global
Last reviewed by globalEDGE on: October 27, 2009
Tuck School of Business (Dartmouth): Trade Agreement Database
The Tuck Trade Agreements Database has text-searchable versions of all bilateral, free trade, and custom union agreements since June 1, 2003. In creating an index for these agreements, the Tuck Center of International Business at Dartmouth created their own method, which is very similar to the ‘standard format’ for notification to the WTO.
Tags: Global
Last reviewed by globalEDGE on: October 21, 2009
United States and Chile Free Trade Agreement (U.S.-Chile FTA)
This website by Export.gov provides a great amount of information about the United States and Chile Free Trade Agreement, which went into effect in 2004. In addition to providing a history of the FTA, the legislation and texts of the acts, and statistics on its progress thus far, the resource offers trade links and assistance for companies looking to do business in the Republic of Chile.
Tags: Countries, United States, Chile
Last reviewed by globalEDGE on: October 13, 2009
United States Trade Representative: DR-CAFTA
A resource from the Office of the United States Trade Representative on the Dominican Republic-Central American Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA) which features news, press releases, statistics, and legislature. The site also outlines some of the implications and progress of the act, broken down into sections including labor, the environment, and the reduction of poverty.
Tags: Global
Last reviewed by globalEDGE on: October 27, 2009
United States: Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR)
The official website of the Office of the United States Trade Representative provides detailed information about the actions of the United States in the World Trade Organization, and the negotiation and cooperation of the United States with some major regional trade agreements. In addition, it also offers information about bilateral trade agreements of the United States with other countries that have been signed or are being negotiated.
Tags: Countries, United States, Country Specific
Last reviewed by globalEDGE on: October 21, 2009
United States: Trade Compliance Center
The Trade Compliance Center is a website of the United States Department of Commerce. It provides bilateral treaties and trade agreements between the United States and other countries. Also, it offers friendship treaties with countries like Austria, Finland, Nepal and Norway.
Tags: Country Specific, United States, Countries
Last reviewed by globalEDGE on: October 21, 2009
United States: U.S. Free Trade Agreements
TradeAgreements.gov is a joint venture by the United States Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, State, and Treasury, and the Office of the United States Trade Representative, to keep citizens up to date and aware of developing international trade news and potential trade agreements concerning the United States.
Tags: Countries, United States, Country Specific
Last reviewed by globalEDGE on: October 21, 2009
World Trade Organization: Regional Trade Agreements
Regional Trade Agreements is a sub-section of the World Trade Organization official website. It provides an explanation of Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs) negotiation rules, related statistics, and some featured articles on regional trade agreement topics. It also lists examples of regional trade agreements.
Tags: Global
Last reviewed by globalEDGE on: October 21, 2009
It is not possible for us to keep these resources up-to-date without your help. Please contact us if you know of a site that should be added here, or if any of these links have expired. Of course, comments and suggestions for improvements are always welcome. We thank you in advance.
For a broader view of this section please visit the Resource Desk home page
