Regional Trade Agreements
View ResourceMSME Provisions in Trade Agreements
This database extracts all the SME provisions from RTAs that include member states of the Organization of American States and lists them by agreement.
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E-learning short videos: Regional Trade Agreements
This video is part of the WTO's e-Campus learning program. It provides an explanation of how regional trade agreements work in relation to WTO rules.
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Database on Preferential Trade Agreements
This online database features all non-reciprocal preferential trade agreements (PTAs), searchable by country/territory. Details include which countries are PTA beneficiaries, tariff schedules, and any related legal or regulatory documentation.
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Global Trade Helpdesk
This site provides market intelligence for MSMEs looking to trade abroad, both for importing and for exporting. It includes a host of integrated tools, tutorials, product finders by Harmonized System (HS) codes, data sources, and much more.
View GuideRegional Trade Agreements
What do small businesses matter for RTA negotiations? Small businesses are the backbone of economies by accounting for most businesses and employment worldwide.
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Trade Agreements Guide
What is a regional trade agreement? A regional trade agreement (RTA) is a treaty or contractual agreement that two or more governments sign to grant each other preferential market access and set rules to govern their trade relations. Through trade agreements, governments agree on a range of obligations. These can include improved market opportunities for services and may also include processes and regulations for trade in services and investment, among other commitments. The General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) The creation of the GATS was one of the landmark achievements of the World Trade Organization WTO. It includes the following key concepts: MFN (Most Favored Nation) treatment: Under Article II of the GATS, WTO (World Trade Organization) Members are held to extend immediately and unconditionally to services or services suppliers of all other members “treatment no less favourable than that accorded to like services and services suppliers of any other country” Transparency: WTO Members are required to publish all measures and respond to other member countries requests for information, through national enquiry points. Market access: Commitment from members to negotiate on access to markets. There may be some limitations and Article XVI(2) has details. National treatment: WTO Members are not allowed to discriminate in favor of their indigenous services or suppliers. The GATS agreement was structured to encourage and increase the participation of developing countries in services trade. The GATS does allow a waiver to allow preferential treatment for exporters of services from least-developed countries (LDCs). How can trade agreements affect my business? Trade in services: Businesses can benefit from preferential market access terms for supplying their services in the markets where a RTA is in force. Intellectual property protection and enforcement: Trade agreements increasingly include detailed chapters on intellectual property protection and enforcement. For more information, see theTrade4MSME guide on Intellectual Property. Investment: A RTA can provide favorable circumstances enabling companies to set up a commercial business presence in a foreign market. Investment rules in RTAs (Regional Trade Agreements) or international investment agreements (IIAs) can in some cases protect foreign investments in host countries. More information on international investment policy can be found at the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) various tools can help assess the benefits of RTAs and IIAs. What are the different types of RTAs? RTAs are signed on a bilateral (an agreement between two governments) or regional basis (agreements with more than two governments). Governments signing these agreements benefit in terms of preferential market access. They also often contain rules that aim to facilitate trade in services. How do I know if my service benefits from preferential treatment under an RTA? The World Trade Organization (WTO) website has more information on regional trade agreements. Trade agencies, industry associations, and chambers of commerce may also have information on how you can benefit from regional trade agreements. Links to Supporting Information WTO WTO | Services – The GATS: objectives, coverage and disciplines Trade in services. WTO directdoc Directory of country contact points for trade in services. Trade4MSME guide Intellectual Property Considerations UNCTAD Home | UNCTAD Investment Policy Hub Investment information UNCTAD International Investment Agreements Navigator | UNCTAD Investment Policy Hub information on IIAs WTO WTO | Regional Trade Agreements – scope of RTAs Information on regional trade agreements RTAs WTO WTO | Regional trade agreements Regional Trade Agreement Database WTO (16) WTO Database on RTAs Tutorial series – Main functionalities – – YouTube Tutorial on how to use the RTA database I-TIP (Integrated Trade Intelligence Portal) Services World Trade Organization and the World Bank. WTO | I-TIP Services A set of linked databases that provides information on provisions for trade in services within regional trade agreements (RTA). IOE&IT Export essentials: how to make the most of preferential tariffs – The Institute of Export and International Trade
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Regional Trade Agreements and Preferential Trade Agreements – for Businesses
What is a regional trade agreement or preferential trade arrangement? A regional trade agreement (RTA) or a preferential trade arrangement (PTA) is a treaty or contractual agreement that governments use to manage their trade relationships and market access conditions. Through trade agreements, governments agree on a range of conditions such as preferential tariffs for goods, market access for services, intellectual property rights, competition and investment measures, among other things. How can trade agreements affect my business? Regional trade agreements (RTAs) provide preferential market access, such as full or partial relief from tariffs for goods traded between the RTA parties. They also include chapters related to trade facilitation, SPS and TBT measures, and intellectual property rights, all of which may impact your business. Preferential trade arrangements (PTAs) are usually provided by developed nations that are members of the World Trade Organization (WTO), to members in developing nations, in the form of reduced tariffs for goods. Businesses can claim these benefits by meeting Rules of Origin and other conditions stated in the text of these arrangements. The Trade4MSME guide on Rules of Origin contains more information. What are the different types of RTAs and PTAs? PTAs are unilateral, or one-sided, meaning an arrangement where one government provides preferential access to imports from one or more governments without receiving anything in return. RTAs may involve multiple governments, in the same region, or across different regions, or they may be on a bilateral between two governments. Both the World Trade Organization and International Trade Centre websites have more information on trade agreements. Unilateral agreements: also known as preferential trade arrangements, or PTAs, these provide trade preferences to the markets of the member that developed the PTA, without requiring that beneficiary economies grant the same preferences in return. These preferences often come in the form of zero or lower import tariffs for products, and only cover trade in goods. One example of a PTA is the Generalized System of Preferences scheme GSP, under which developed economies grant preferential tariffs to imports from developing economies. PTAs can also involve more limited schemes such as the United States’ African Growth and Opportunities Act (AGOA) or the European Union’s Everything But Arms (EBA) scheme. These are subject to a waiver granted by WTO Members and subject to review. Reciprocal agreements: Reciprocal agreements are also known as regional trade agreements or RTAs, and these cover the rules and conditions that apply to trade in both goods and services. These include free trade agreements (FTAs), Customs unions, and partial scope agreements. Governments signing these agreements provide each other with preferences and benefits in terms of lower trade barriers and market access. In addition, RTAs can include provisions on investment, Customs cooperation and trade facilitation, trade and environment, trade and labour, and other areas. How do I know if my products benefit from preferential treatment under an RTA or PTA? Trade agencies, industry associations, and chambers of commerce can provide information on how businesses can benefit from trade agreements. For example, the World Trade Organization has an online RTA Database and PTA Database, which provides information on tariff preferences and other provisions such as Customs procedures, SPS and TBT measures, which are under any RTAs and PTAs notified to the WTO. Businesses can also visit the Rules of Origin Facilitator, an online tool that identifies preferential tariffs under trade agreements, so long as these goods meet the rules of origin requirements included under these agreements. Through the Facilitator, businesses can find opportunities for preferential market access under trade agreements that can apply to their products. Links to Supporting Information Trade4MSME Guide Rules of Origin World Trade Organization (WTO) Regional Trade Agreements WTO | Regional Trade Agreements – scope of RTAs International Trade Centre Rules of Origin Facilitator – Introduction to Trade Agreements Rules of Origin Facilitator African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) | United States Trade Representative European Union’s Everything But Arms (EBA) scheme Everything but Arms (EBA) | Access2Markets The Institute of Export and International Trade Export essentials: how to make the most of preferential tariffs – The Institute of Export and International Trade
