The Trade Bloc Insights section of globalEDGE provides in-depth analyses and resources organized by major global trade blocs. Discover statistics and resources to inform you about trade agreements and their economic impact. Read through a detailed history of each trade bloc, a key dates timeline, and a list of member countries for each trade agreement.
The African Union is an organization for regional, social, and economic cooperation. The website provides detailed information about all major economic cooperation programs in Africa. The information includes the participating countries, official documents, major events, and press releases.
Among other goals, the Andean Community (CAN) strives for the development and integration of member countries in Latin America and for progress in the standard of living. The website provides information on member countries, economic policies, treaties and legislation, trade in goods and services, and much more. While some publications must be purchased, access to documents including the declarations of the CAN is free. Only available in Spanish.
The East African Community (EAC) website provides detailed information about the history, structure, and participating countries of the organization. Social and economic cooperation programs and activities within the community are also included. In addition, the site provides news and publications regarding the latest community developments.
The European Free Trade Association (EFTA) is an international organization composed of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. The EFTA is tasked with promoting free trade and economic integration. Information is provided on the relationship between the EFTA and the European Economic Area. Trade statistics on EFTA member countries, legal texts, and various publications are also available.
The Global Preferential Trade Agreements Database (GPTAD) provides information on trade agreements from around the world. Developed jointly by the World Bank and the Center for International Business at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College, the database contains text-searchable versions of all bilateral, free trade, and custom union agreements since June, 1, 2003.
This is the official website of MERCOSUR, a customs union incorporating the countries of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Venezuela. The website contains news, standards, official records, and information about the union.
Free Trade Agreements is a sub-section of the official Organization of American State's Foreign Trade Information System (SICE) website. It offers documents of the specific trade agreements as well as other related topics. In addition, information on customs unions and preferential agreements is available.
The Secretariat General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) website provides detailed information about the foundation and structure of the organization. It also provides legal documents, press releases, publications, and statistics of the organization, as well as information about its major activities.
The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) site offers information about regional cooperation in South Asian countries, including cooperation in the areas of agriculture and rural development, biotechnology, energy, environment, and trade and finance. SAARC offers the latest news, press releases, and publications of the organization. It also allows readers to download the declarations of all its summits.
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) site provides information regarding the structure and legal documents the organization and of the participating countries. Available thematic sub-sections include food, agriculture, and natural resources; infrastructure and services; politics, defense, and security; social and human development; and economic development.
Union Economique et Monetaire Ouest Africaine (UEMOA) is composed of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Mali, Guinea-Bissau, Niger, Senegal, and Togo. Its purpose is to unite members through competition in an open market. The website contains comprehensive information on UEMOA as well as press releases and publications that it has produced. Available only in French.
The USMCA Secretariat, which administers the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement provides information about the rules of procedure, dispute settlement, alternative dispute resolution, national sections, and various resources.
Regional trade agreements is a sub-section of the World Trade Organization official website. It provides an explanation of regional trade agreements (RTAs) negotiation rules, related statistics, and some featured articles on regional trade agreement topics. It also lists examples of regional trade agreements.