Regional Trade Agreements – a Phase or a Barrier to Globalisation? A Comparative Analysis of Trade Introversion

Abstract

The activity of Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs) can be measured by the various trade intensity indexes, for example the regional trade introversion index (RTII). The paper compares the intensity of intra-bloc trade with extra-bloc trade in 17 selected RTAs during the years 1995-2012. We analyse the trade of the regional blocs from all continents, which differ by the number of member states and the scope of economic integration as well as by their economic potential. The blocs include AFTA, ANZCERTA, APTA, CIS, ECO, ECOWAS, EFTA, EU, GCC, LAIA, MERCOSUR, NAFTA and SADC. The study prompts a number of conclusions. First, RTAs differ significantly in terms of their economic potential, the wealth of their citizens, trade openness and regional trade orientation. Second, RTAs with relatively poor citizens are characterised by high trade openness or a strong regional trade orientation, and probably treat trade as a basic factor of their economic growth. RTAs with relatively wealthy citizens, on the other hand, are oriented at trade with the rest of world or their regional trade orientation is no longer increasing (probably these RTAs cannot intensify intra-bloc trade).