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ID140720
Title ProperAustralia's flawed approach to trade negotiations
Other Title Informationand where do we sign?
LanguageENG
AuthorRavenhill, John ;  Capling, Ann
Summary / Abstract (Note)Economists have warned for many years that preferential trade agreements (PTAs) will not necessarily increase economic welfare in Australia given the relatively small size of the economy and the country’s lack of negotiating coin. The Productivity Commission cautioned in its major report on PTAs that there seemed to be a mindset of ‘agreements for agreement’s sake’, in part because of fears of missing out on a bandwagon that has attracted Australia’s major trading partners. Political and security considerations have played an important role in shaping Australia’s approach to PTAs. When politics trumps economics in negotiations of PTAs there is a risk of a rush to premature agreement that produces sub-optimal outcomes, that undermines broader plurilateral and global negotiations, and that introduces new and undesirable distortions in trade and public policies. Various theoretical approaches to trade policymaking provide insights into why Australian governments have been willing to conclude these sub-optimal deals.
`In' analytical NoteAustralian Journal of International Affairs Vol. 69, No.5; Oct 2015: p.496-512
Journal SourceAustralian Journal of International Affairs Vol: 69 No 5
Key WordsIntellectual Property Rights ;  Preferential Trade Agreements ;  Australian Trade Policy ;  AUSFTA ;  Investor - State Dispute Settlement


 
 
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