Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Author-Name: Pavel Hnát
Title: Globalization, Multilateralism, Regionalism: from Dilemma to Multi-dimensionality
Abstract: Globalization, multilateralism and regionalism are the most significant tendencies of today's world economy. Their mutual relation has bee so far studied mainly as a dilemma between globally free trade and world economy's fragmentation through competing trade blocks. With the upsurge of globalization and sharp global competition in globalization latest wave, multilateralism and regionalism has, however, changed markedly. Subsequently, their mutual relations have changed as well. Based upon the study of New Regionalism, which leads towards more complex and open trade agreements, it seems that multilateralism and regionalism can be understood as compatible dimensions of broader efforts on an economic reform of globalized world order. It is, today, formed by a deep and transparent global governance (WTO) and a global network of complex economic integration agreements (New Regionalism). The aim of this article is to study the development of their interaction and conditions of their multi-dimensional coexistence.
Keywords: globalization, multilateralism, regionalism
Classification-JEL: F02, F13, F15, F59
Pages: 6-22
Volume: 2008
Issue: 2
Year: 2008
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Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Author-Name: Ludmila Štěrbová
Title: Could Regional Trade Integration be a Building Block for Global Governance of Trade?
Abstract: Some theories consider the possibility to multilateralize regional approaches and to establish global system of rules based on regionalism. These tendencies are also tailored on international trade. Nevertheless, the fundamental problem of the multilateral trading system in the framework of the World Trade Organization is the extent of policy space, which states´ governments do not want to give in favor of global trade governance. Although the multilateral trading system and further multilateral trade liberalization face many challenges, regionalism is not an alternative that could help government to pursue their trade interests. On the contrary, bilateral Preferential Trade Agreements harm competition, distort business environment and undermine the multilateral trading system.
Keywords: multilateral trading system, Preferential Trade Agreements, policy space
Classification-JEL: G30
Pages: 23-36
Volume: 2008
Issue: 2
Year: 2008
File-URL: http://www.vse.cz/aop/download.php?jnl=aop&pdf=54.pdf
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Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Author-Name: Eva Cihelková
Author-Name: Jakub Krč
Title: Multilateral Governance of the Sustainable Development and the Contribution of the EU
Abstract: The adoption of the Sustainable Development Strategy in 2001 represented a new attempt to address the challenges that the EU was facing. The deterioration of the environment, the climate change as well as structural changes of world economy represent the new framework that ought to be carried on by the multilateral environmental governance structures. One of the important parts of that system is the WTO and its Doha Development Agenda. This paper outlines the consequences of the Sustainable Development Policy for the multilateral governace. It is based on the characteristic of the EU's sustainable development policy and the contribution of the WTO and related Multilateral Environmental Agreements to the solution of the global environmental problems.
Keywords: development, sustainable development, WTO, EU, multilateral environmental, Doha Development Agenda
Classification-JEL: O13, O19, Q01
Pages: 37-47
Volume: 2008
Issue: 2
Year: 2008
File-URL: http://www.vse.cz/aop/download.php?jnl=aop&pdf=55.pdf
File-URL: http://www.vse.cz/aop/55
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Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Author-Name: Jakub Krč
Author-Name: Eva Cihelková
Author-Name: Josef Bič
Title: WTO and the Social Clause, or else: the Multilateral Approaches to the International Labor Standards
Abstract: One of the very important features of the dispute settlement mechanism under the WTO is the principle of the cross retaliation. The dispute settlement mechanism is going to be used for any of the areas within the agenda of WTO. Therefore, there is a crucial question of the issues included in the scope of subjects administrated under the World Trade Organization. Several development countries tried to pressure the member states, basically the developing countries to link labor standards with trade and include them under the jurisdiction competences of the WTO. The main aim of this paper is to outline the development of the linkage of the labor standards to the trade and its consequences for the World Trade Organization. We would like to describe the principle of the so called social clause and therefore stress some of the critical issues related to the idea of binding multilateral social standards.
Keywords: WTO, social clause, standards, labor standards, ILO
Classification-JEL: F13, J80
Pages: 48-57
Volume: 2008
Issue: 2
Year: 2008
File-URL: http://www.vse.cz/aop/download.php?jnl=aop&pdf=56.pdf
File-URL: http://www.vse.cz/aop/56
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Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Author-Name: Jakub Krč
Title: The Interplay between Multilateral Regimes as the Relationship between Trade and Environmental Rules
Abstract: The existence of world trade regime under the WTO and the environmental regime under the UNFCCC and Kyoto Protocol can create several conflicts. The various norms of both regimes can confirm or contradict each other. In the case of a conflict, the Dispute Settlement Mechanism of the WTO is probably to be applied. The regime interplay theory offers suitable tools for analyses of potential areas of conflict and can lead to an adoption of an appropriate regime management that would enhance the regime synergies. This paper tries to outline the differences of the trade rules and climate change regime norms in regard to the overlaps of their norms. It is based on the characteristic of both regimes and on the regime interplay analyses applied on this model case of two international regimes.
Keywords: WTO, regime, regime interplay, climate change, Kyoto Protocol
Classification-JEL: K32, Q56
Pages: 58-69
Volume: 2008
Issue: 2
Year: 2008
File-URL: http://www.vse.cz/aop/download.php?jnl=aop&pdf=57.pdf
File-URL: http://www.vse.cz/aop/57
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Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Author-Name: Pavel Neumann
Title: Fragmentation versus Unity of the World Economy
Abstract: The article deals with fragmentation and unity prospects of the world economy with respect to the role of its main centres (Europe/EU, East Asia, America). From the view point of the process of the running multilateral liberalisation the world economy was formed as relatively unified at first after World War II. However, regionalisation intensified in 1990s and since then stronger fragmentation has become a natural element of the world economy globalization as "new regionalism". Theoretically, the fragmentation process can be explained by Viner's customs union theory as well as later by the regionalism domino theory developed by many authors. Concerning the role of individual centres, despite its present differentiation, Europe (EU), is more unified than the other regions. However, with its deep integration concept and trade diversion stemming from a high intratrade rate, Europe contributes rather to the world fragmentation. East Asia represented by ASEAN keeps still sticking to the shallow integration, co-operating with non-member partners. The group represents best the open regionalism characteristics, currently not strengthening the world economy fragmentation. The American area remains still relatively fragmented despite the U.S. effort to create a wide integration zone similar to NAFTA. The American region appears more open than Europe with respect to the intratrade share, nevertheless, its integration structure is still in progress; and its impact on the solution of the world economy fragmentation-unity dilemma is uncertain.
Keywords: multilateralism, regionalism, world economy, fragmentation, unity, regional trade agreements, intratrade
Classification-JEL: G30
Pages: 70-89
Volume: 2008
Issue: 2
Year: 2008
File-URL: http://www.vse.cz/aop/download.php?jnl=aop&pdf=58.pdf
File-URL: http://www.vse.cz/aop/58
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Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Author-Name: Zuzana Stuchlíková
Title: Changing Regionalism in South-East Asia: some theoretical and practical aspects
Abstract: There are many sophisticated discussions about the possible effects of the regional economic cooperation. Their results have been ambiguous. However, it is evident that regional trade agreements (RTAs) have been increasingly transforming international trade, especially since the second half of the 1990s. The region of South-East Asia has become more interested in such cooperation only after the Asian financial crisis in 1997. Especially the case of Japan proves how the Asian governments have changed their approach to the international economic cooperation. They shifted the emphasis from the multilateral negotiations under the umbrella of the WTO to regional and bilateral agreements. However, despite its fast pace the process of regionalism in South-East Asia is still at the very beginning. It remains to be seen whether the Asian countries will stay on the level of broader FTAs or whether they will follow the European example of a deep economic and political integration.
Keywords: integration, regionalism, trade agreements
Classification-JEL: F02, F13, F14, F15, F52, F53, F59
Pages: 90-108
Volume: 2008
Issue: 2
Year: 2008
File-URL: http://www.vse.cz/aop/download.php?jnl=aop&pdf=59.pdf
File-URL: http://www.vse.cz/aop/59
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