List of free trade agreements
Encyclopedia
Customs territory
A customs territory is a territory with individual customs regulations.The most common type of customs territory is the sovereign state and the others are the Trade bloc that has a customs union; and the autonomous or dependent territory that has independence in foreign trade and customs...
), a trade bloc
Trade bloc
A trade bloc is a type of intergovernmental agreement, often part of a regional intergovernmental organization, where regional barriers to trade, are reduced or eliminated among the participating states.-Description:...
or an informal group of countries.
Every customs union
Customs union
A customs union is a type of trade bloc which is composed of a free trade area with a common external tariff. The participant countries set up common external trade policy, but in some cases they use different import quotas...
, trade common market, economic union
Economic union
An economic union is a type of trade bloc which is composed of a common market with a customs union. The participant countries have both common policies on product regulation, freedom of movement of goods, services and the factors of production and a common external trade policy.The countries...
, customs and monetary union
Customs and Monetary Union
An customs and monetary union is a type of trade bloc which is composed of a customs union and a currency union. The participant countries have both common external trade policy and share a single currency....
and economic and monetary union
Economic and monetary union
An economic and monetary union is a type of trade bloc which is composed of an economic union with a monetary union. It is to be distinguished from a mere monetary union , which does not involve a common market. This is the fifth stage of economic integration...
has also a free trade area.
Most of these multilateral agreements are signed between neighboring countries, but there are exceptions like the worldwide WTO
World Trade Organization
The World Trade Organization is an organization that intends to supervise and liberalize international trade. The organization officially commenced on January 1, 1995 under the Marrakech Agreement, replacing the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade , which commenced in 1948...
agreements and the TPP
Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership
The Trans-Pacific Partnership , also known as the Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement, is a multilateral free trade agreement that aims to further liberalise the economies of the Asia-Pacific region; specifically, Article 1.1.3 notes: “The Parties seek to support the wider...
agreement that is regional by some definitions
Asia-Pacific
Asia-Pacific or Asia Pacific is the part of the world in or near the Western Pacific Ocean...
, but not neighboring. The rest of the non-regional agreements are concluded between two groups of neighboring states
Trade bloc
A trade bloc is a type of intergovernmental agreement, often part of a regional intergovernmental organization, where regional barriers to trade, are reduced or eliminated among the participating states.-Description:...
(or between a single group and a third country) and thus are not included in the multilateral list (EFTA-SACU, EU-ACPs and others).
World Trade OrganizationWorld Trade OrganizationThe World Trade Organization is an organization that intends to supervise and liberalize international trade. The organization officially commenced on January 1, 1995 under the Marrakech Agreement, replacing the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade , which commenced in 1948...
agreements
- General Agreement on Tariffs and TradeGeneral Agreement on Tariffs and TradeThe General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade was negotiated during the UN Conference on Trade and Employment and was the outcome of the failure of negotiating governments to create the International Trade Organization . GATT was signed in 1947 and lasted until 1993, when it was replaced by the World...
- Agreement on AgricultureAgreement on AgricultureThe Agreement on Agriculture is an international treaty of the World Trade Organization. It was negotiated during the Uruguay Round of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, and entered into force with the establishment of the WTO on January 1, 1995....
- Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary MeasuresAgreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary MeasuresThe Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures - also known as the SPS Agreement is an international treaty of the World Trade Organization...
- Agreement on Technical Barriers to TradeAgreement on Technical Barriers to TradeThe Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade--- commonly referred to as the TBT Agreement --- is an international treaty administered by the World Trade Organization...
- Agreement on Trade Related Investment Measures
- Agreement on Anti-Dumping
- Agreement on Customs Valuation
- Agreement on Preshipment Inspection
- Agreement on Rules of Origin
- Agreement on Import Licensing Procedures
- Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures
- Agreement on Safeguards
- Agreement on Agriculture
- General Agreement on Trade in ServicesGeneral Agreement on Trade in ServicesThe General Agreement on Trade in Services is a treaty of the World Trade Organization that entered into force in January 1995 as a result of the Uruguay Round negotiations...
- Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property RightsAgreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property RightsThe Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights is an international agreement administered by the World Trade Organization that sets down minimum standards for many forms of intellectual property regulation as applied to nationals of other WTO Members...
- Agreement on Government ProcurementAgreement on Government ProcurementThe Agreement on Government Procurement is legally binding and plurilateral agreement in the World Trade Organization focusing on the subject of government and local government agencies procurement. The procurement in the Agreement includes goods, ranging from commodities to high technology...
- Information Technology AgreementInformation Technology AgreementThe Information Technology Agreement is an agreement enforced by the World Trade Organization and concluded in the Ministerial Declaration on Trade in Information Technology Products in 1996, and entered into force 1 July 1997...
Operating agreements
- ASEAN Free Trade AreaASEAN Free Trade AreaASEAN Free Trade Area is a trade bloc agreement by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations supporting local manufacturing in all ASEAN countries....
(AFTA) - Asia-Pacific Trade AgreementAsia-Pacific Trade AgreementThe , previouslyknown as the and renamed 2 November 2005, was signed in1975. It is the oldest preferential trade agreement between developing countries in the Asia-Pacific region....
(APTA) - Central American Integration SystemCentral American Integration SystemCentral American Integration System is the economic, cultural and political organization of Central American states since February 1, 1993. It was on December 13, 1991, however, when all the countries of the ODECA signed the Protocol of Tegucigalpa which extended the earlier cooperation in search...
(SICA) - Central European Free Trade AgreementCentral European Free Trade AgreementThe Central European Free Trade Agreement is a trade agreement between non-EU countries in Southeast Europe.-Members:As of 1 May 2007, the parties of the CEFTA agreement are: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia and UNMIK on behalf of Kosovo.Former...
(CEFTA) - Common Market for Eastern and Southern AfricaCommon Market for Eastern and Southern AfricaThe Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, is a free trade area with nineteen member states stretching from Libya to Zimbabwe. COMESA formed in December 1994, replacing a Preferential Trade Area which had existed since 1981...
(COMESA) - G-3 Free Trade Agreement (G-3)
- Greater Arab Free Trade Area (GAFTA) - June 1957
- Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)
- North American Free Trade AgreementNorth American Free Trade AgreementThe North American Free Trade Agreement or NAFTA is an agreement signed by the governments of Canada, Mexico, and the United States, creating a trilateral trade bloc in North America. The agreement came into force on January 1, 1994. It superseded the Canada – United States Free Trade Agreement...
(NAFTA) - Pacific accord
- South Asia Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA)
- Southern African Development CommunitySouthern African Development CommunityThe Southern African Development Community is an inter-governmental organization headquartered in Gaborone, Botswana. Its goal is to further socio-economic cooperation and integration as well as political and security cooperation among 15 southern African states...
(SADC) - Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR)
- Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic PartnershipTrans-Pacific Strategic Economic PartnershipThe Trans-Pacific Partnership , also known as the Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement, is a multilateral free trade agreement that aims to further liberalise the economies of the Asia-Pacific region; specifically, Article 1.1.3 notes: “The Parties seek to support the wider...
(TPP)
Proposed agreements
- 2011 Commonwealth of Independent States Free Trade AgreementCommonwealth of Independent StatesThe Commonwealth of Independent States is a regional organization whose participating countries are former Soviet Republics, formed during the breakup of the Soviet Union....
(CISFTA) - 2014 Union of South American Nations (CSN)
- 2021 Pacific Island Countries Trade Agreement (PICTA)
- African Free Trade Zone (AFTZ) between SADCSouthern African Development CommunityThe Southern African Development Community is an inter-governmental organization headquartered in Gaborone, Botswana. Its goal is to further socio-economic cooperation and integration as well as political and security cooperation among 15 southern African states...
, EACEast African CommunityThe East African Community is an intergovernmental organisation comprising the five east African countries Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda. Pierre Nkurunziza, the President of the Republic of Burundi, is the current Chairman of the East African Community. The EAC was originally...
and COMESACommon Market for Eastern and Southern AfricaThe Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, is a free trade area with nineteen member states stretching from Libya to Zimbabwe. COMESA formed in December 1994, replacing a Preferential Trade Area which had existed since 1981... - Arab Maghreb UnionArab Maghreb UnionThe Arab Maghreb Union is a trade agreement aiming for economic and some sort of future political unity in North Africa between the countries Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Mauritania...
(UMA) - Asia-Pacific Economic CooperationAsia-Pacific Economic CooperationAsia-Pacific Economic Cooperation is a forum for 21 Pacific Rim countries that seeks to promote free trade and economic cooperation throughout the Asia-Pacific region...
(APEC) - Association of Caribbean StatesAssociation of Caribbean StatesThe Association of Caribbean States was formed with the aim of promoting consultation, cooperation, and concerted action among all the countries of the Caribbean. It comprises twenty-five member states and four associate members...
(ACS) - Bolivarian Alternative for the AmericasBolivarian Alternative for the AmericasThe Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America is an international cooperation organization based on the idea of social, political, and economic integration between the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean...
(ALBA) - Bay of Bengal Initiative for MultiSectoral Technical and Economic CooperationBIMSTECBay of Bengal Initiative for MultiSectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation is an international organisation involving a group of countries in South Asia and South East Asia...
(BIMSTEC) - Community of Sahel-Saharan StatesCommunity of Sahel-Saharan StatesCEN-SAD or the Community of Sahel-Saharan States aims to create a free trade area...
(CEN-SAD) - Comprehensive Economic Partnership for East AsiaComprehensive Economic Partnership for East AsiaThe Comprehensive Economic Partnership for East ASIA is a Japanese led proposal for trade co-operation, free trade agreement, among the 16 present member countries of the East Asia Summit.- Countries involved :The 16 countries are:...
(CEPEA) - East Asia Free Trade Agreement (EAFTA)
- Economic Community of West African StatesEconomic Community of West African StatesThe Economic Community of West African States is a regional group of fifteen West African countries. Founded on 28 May 1975, with the signing of the Treaty of Lagos, its mission is to promote economic integration across the region....
(ECOWAS) - Euro-Mediterranean free trade areaEuro-Mediterranean free trade areaThe European Union-Mediterranean Free Trade Area , also called the Euro-Mediterranean Free Trade Area or Euromed FTA, is based on the Barcelona Process and European Neighbourhood Policy...
(EU-MEFTA) - Economic Community of Central African StatesEconomic Community of Central African StatesThe Economic Community of Central African States is an Economic Community of the African Union for promotion of regional economic co-operation in Central Africa...
(ECCAS) - Free Trade Area of the AmericasFree Trade Area of the AmericasThe Free Trade Area of the Americas , , ) was a proposed agreement to eliminate or reduce the trade barriers among all countries in the Americas but Cuba. In the last round of negotiations, trade ministers from 34 countries met in Miami, United States, in November 2003 to discuss the proposal...
(FTAA) - Free Trade Area of the Asia Pacific (FTAAP)
- GUAM Organization for Democracy and Economic DevelopmentGUAM Organization for Democracy and Economic DevelopmentThe GUAM Organization for Democracy and Economic Development is a regional organization of four post-Soviet states: Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, and Moldova....
(GUAM) - Intergovernmental Authority on DevelopmentIntergovernmental Authority on DevelopmentThe Intergovernmental Authority on Development is an eight-country regional development organization in East Africa. Its headquarters are located in Djibouti City....
(IGAD) - Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic RelationsPacific Agreement on Closer Economic RelationsThe Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations is an umbrella agreement between members of the Pacific Islands Forum which provides a framework for the future development of trade cooperation.It was first signed at Nauru on 18 August, 2001 and entered into force on the 3rd October 2002...
(PACER and PACER Plus) - People's Trade Treaty of Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (ALBA)
- Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)
- Transatlantic Free Trade AreaTransatlantic Free Trade AreaThe Transatlantic Free Trade Area is a proposed free trade area between the United States and the European Union in reaction to the growing economic power of the People's Republic of China. It was considered in the 1990s and again in 2007 but no firm plan has been made...
(TAFTA) - Tripartite Free Trade Area (T-FTA)
See also
- European Union free trade agreementsEuropean Union free trade agreementsEuropean Union has concluded free trade agreements with many countries world-wide and negotiating with many others.-Free trade agreements in force:-Pending:Economic Partnership Agreement are being implemented for ACP countries.-Negotiating:* India...
- Euro-Mediterranean free trade areaEuro-Mediterranean free trade areaThe European Union-Mediterranean Free Trade Area , also called the Euro-Mediterranean Free Trade Area or Euromed FTA, is based on the Barcelona Process and European Neighbourhood Policy...
- Free trade areaFree trade areaA free trade area is a trade bloc whose member countries have signed a free trade agreement , which eliminates tariffs, import quotas, and preferences on most goods and services traded between them. If people are also free to move between the countries, in addition to FTA, it would also be...
- List of economic communities
- United States free trade agreementsUnited States free trade agreementsThe United States is party to many free trade agreements worldwide.Beginning with the Theodore Roosevelt administration, the United States became a major player in international trade, especially with its neighboring territories in the Caribbean and Latin America...
External links
- bilaterals.org - "Everything that's not happening at the WTO"
- fightingftas.org
- FTAs submitted to the WTO
- Americas FTAs
- EU FTAs
- EU-ACP countries Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA) Negotiations: Where do we stand?
- Singapore official FTA site
- EFTA official site
- Australia official FTA site
- About.com's Pros & Cons of U.S. Free Trade Agreements
- Bilateral and Regional Trade Agreements Notified to the WTO: developed by WorldTradeLaw.net and Bryan Mercurio
- ptas.mcgill.ca