Sugar in an Evolving Trade Pact Landscape - MECAS(18)16

In 2001 and 2002, the ISO initiated its first analysis of regional trade agreements (RTAs), focusing on NAFTA and other Latin American Trade Blocs (MECAS (01)20) and Regional Trade Agreement: Challenge or Threat to International Sugar Trade? (MECAS(02)21). This was followed by papers in 2014 and 2015, considering Government Sugar Trade Policy (MECAS(14)07) and Non-Tariff Policy in a Global Sugar Trade Context (MECAS(15)08).

The current paper updates the outlook for the Trade Pact Landscape, with a broad review of existing regional agreements, and a fresh look at the establishment of bilateral trade agreements. The number of bilateral and sub-regional agreements has increased dramatically over the last decade or more, pointing to a significant progression in global trade.

The aim of the paper is not to give an overview of the sugar provisions and dynamics within each agreement, but instead look at the effectiveness of established regional agreements, to evaluate recent sugar-related developments and look towards the future to understand possible outcomes and challenges in regional and bilateral programmes.

This paper is particularly focused on the trade aspect of the sugar economy, where commercial and legislative elements combine to shape the current flow of sugar across the globe, as well as setting boundaries for future levels of global cooperation. The final chapter also considers the broader drivers within the global economy and their impact on the progression towards a global sugar economy.

Contents:

Introduction 						
The Current Trade Pact Landscape		
       Types and Nature of RTAs			

Sugar Balances within RTAs				
 Production					
          Consumption					
          Production – Consumption Balance		
          Summary					

Sugar Trade within RTAs				
 
Sugar Trade Outside RTAs			
                    Bilateral Agreements				
                    Variations to Bilateralism			
                    Quality as Part of Trade Considerations	
                    Trade with Other Objectives			

Conflict resolution within Multilateral Agreements					

The Forward Pathway for Sugar		

Conclusion						

																	
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