Comprehensive Trade Agreements: Conditioning Globalisation or Eroding the European Model?

Further information about Intereconomics

Intereconomics publishes papers dealing with economic and social policy issues in or affecting Europe. The journal consists of the sections Editorial, Forum, Articles, and Letter from America.

The Editorial contains brief comments on current questions of economic policy.

In the Forum, several authors (researchers, politicians, representatives of trade unions and of employers associations, etc.) voice their opinions on one particular current economic policy problem.

The Articles deal with economic policy issues and trends. They are mostly written by economic researchers.

In the Letter from America, an economist from the US provides analysis of economic issues of transatlantic interest.

Intereconomics has a streamlined editorial process which allows it to quickly publish timely papers while they can still inform and influence policy makers. The editorial board of Intereconomics works in close cooperation with the editorial board of its sister publication Wirtschaftsdienst – Zeitschrift für Wirtschaftspolitik, which is published in German.Abstract:

Trade dynamics within the EU are presently pushing it towards deepening globalisation through bilateral comprehensive trade agreements which establish far-reaching rules that govern the bilateral trade relationship. The European Commission has defended these agreements as a vehicle through which to promote world trade in accordance with European values and norms.

However, the theory of fiscal federalism and the principle of subsidiarity tell us that one should not centralise decisions at the supranational level which are better taken at the national or regional level when there are different preferences among countries or regions. Consequently, member state and regional competences ought not to be perceived as a mere obstacle to swift trade deals. Rather, they can provide an important checks and balances function with regard to whether EU trade policy is truly working to condition globalisation according to European values and preferences.

• Primary Source

Intereconomics: Archive http://archive.intereconomics.eu/years/

SpringerLink: Intereconomics http://link.springer.com/journal/10272

ESO: Background information: CETA ratification process: Recent developments, June 2017 http://www.europeansources.info/record/ceta-ratification-process-recent-developments/

ESO: Key Source: Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) http://www.europeansources.info/record/transatlantic-trade-and-investment-partnership-ttip/

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