International treaties

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International treaties

• Marcin Cieslinski
• 11.10.2007

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Agenda

• Reasons for international treaties
• Examples
• Basics
• History
• Aims
• Agreements and activities
• Concerns and issues

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What do we need them for?

• Easier and more efficient trade
• International and intercontinental agreements
• Maintaining peace
• Cultural and social exchange of experiences

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Most important international treaties

• European Union
• NAFTA
• ASEAN
• Mercosur

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European Union
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European Union - basics

• Founded in 1957 by six coutries by the Treaty of
  Rome, transformed into European Union in 1992
  (Maastricht)
• Consisting of 27 members
• 492 milion citizens, 23 official languages
• Governed by international institutions
  Commision, Council (x2), Parliament, Court of
  Justice, ECB

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European Union - history

• 1957 Treaty of Rome
• 1973 GBR, DEN, IRL
• 1981 - ESP, GRE
• 1986 POR
• 1992 Maastricht Treaty
• 1995 AUT, SWE, FIN
• 2004 EST, LAT, LIT, POL, CZE, SVK, HUN, SLO,
  MAL, CYP
• 2007 BUL, ROM

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European Union - aims

• Creating and maintaining common market
• Regional development (Structural funds)
• Common monetary system (Euro)
• Different cultures and societies united

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European Union - features

• Common agricultural policy
• Common trade policy (market liberalization,
  abandoning tariffs)
• Common foreign and security policy High
  Representative
• Secular organization

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NAFTA
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NAFTA - basics

• Came into effect on 1 January, 1994 (signed
  12/92)
• Canada USA Mexico

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NAFTA - history

• North American Free Trade Agreement founded in
  1994
• NAAEC (NAA on Environmental Cooperation)
• NAALC (NAA on Labor Cooperation)

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NAFTA features

• Eliminating major tarrifs in trade between
  members
• Protects intelectual property rights
• No supranational government or body of law
• Perceived as green due to NAAEC
• Main beneficient Mexico
• Trilingual labeling

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NAFTA problems and discrepancies

• Separete external trade policy (difficult to
  create customs union)
• Some countries signed bilateral agreements with
  members (agriculture)
• CAN-US trade conflicts
• One country really benefiting from agreement

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NAFTA - Mexico

• Lower poverty rates
• Real income rise
• Increase in trade with Canada and the US
• Worse situation of agriculture due to US
  subsidies

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ASEAN
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ASEAN - basics

• Association of Southeast Asian Nations
• Founded August 8, 1967
• 10 members Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand,
  Phillipines, Indonesia, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos,
  Myanmar, Vietnam
• Cooperates with CHN, KOR, JPN

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ASEAN aims

• Accelaretion of economic growth
• Social progress
• Cultural development
• Regional peace

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ASEAN - agreements

• Common Effective Preferential Tariff (92)
• Internal FTA and Open Sky policy
• Environmental agreements
• Mutual cooperation with UN (observer and dialogue
  partner) 2006
• Cultural and sport activities

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The ASEAN Way

• Political background
• Non-interference as the cardinal princip
• Consensus, consultation, informality

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ASEAN - summits

• Annualy held for 3 days
• Hosted in alphabetical order
• Meetings also within EAS and Regional Forum

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Mercosur
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Mercosur - basics

• Founded in 1991 Treaty of Asuncion
• Regional trade agreement between members
• Members BRA, ARG, PAR, URU
• Associates BOL, CHI, COL, ECU, PER
• 263 milion citizens
• 5th largest economy in the World

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Mercosur - aims

• Balance global economic powers (US, EU) by
  managing resources
• Potentially create a FTA
• Political integration (still uncertain)

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Mercosur threats and development hurdles

• Argentina crisis in 2001
• Internal conflicts over trade policy and free
  movements
• Venezuela issue

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Mercosur - agreements

• FTA with Colombia
• Cooperation with Andean Community (members for
  members)

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Other international treaties

• CARICOM (1972)
• APEC
• EFTA
• African Union

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Sources of information

• http//europa.eu/index_en.htm
• http//www.aseansec.org/
• www.wikipedia.org
• http//www.fas.usda.gov
• http//www.natlaw.com/treaties.htm

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Thank you for your attention