Monday, January 13, 2020

MULTILATERAL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS

The term multilateral trade negotiations (MTN) initially applied to negotiations between General
Agreement on Tariffs and Trade(GATT) member nations conducted under the auspices of the GATT and aimed at reducing tariff and nontariff trade barriers.

Multilateral trade agreements are commerce treaties between three or more nations. The agreements reduce tariffs and make it easier for businesses to import and export. Since they are among many countries, they are difficult to negotiate.

The main difference between multilateral and bilateral free trade agreements (FTA) is the number of participants. 

Multilateral trade agreements involve three or more countries without discrimination between those involved, whereas bilateral trade agreements consist between two countries.

There are 2 types of international trade agreements:

· Multilateral (or Regional) Agreements
. They set rules of trade between several countries. Multilateral agreements shape international trade unions, such as WTO, EU, NAFTA, etc. ...

· Bilateral Agreements. They set rules of trade between two countries.

There are a number of benefits to multilateral netting. On the financial side, reducing the number of cross border flows saves bank charges and reduces the number of foreign exchange transactions and the spread lost to intermediaries.

Bilateral agreements are between two nations at a time, giving them favored trading status with each other. The objectives of the bilateral deal are the same as a multilateral deal, except it is between two countries that negotiated the deal.

That same broad scope makes them more robust than other types of trade agreements once all parties sign.Bilateral Agreements are easier to negotiate but these are only between two countries.

Five Advantages

Multilateral agreements make all signatories treat each other the same. No country can give better trade deals to one country than it does to another. That levels the playing field. It's especially critical for emerging market countries. 

Many of them are smaller in size, making them less competitive. The most favored nation status confers the best trading terms a nation can get from a trading partner. Developing countries benefit the most from this trading status.

The second benefit is that it increases trade for every participant. Their companies enjoy low tariffs. That makes their exports cheaper.

The third benefit is it standardizes commerce regulations for all the trade partners. Companies save legal costs since they follow the same rules for each country.

The fourth benefit is that countries can negotiate trade deals with more than one country at a time. Trade agreements undergo a detailed approval process. Most countries would prefer to get one agreement ratified covering many countries at once.

The fifth benefit applies to emerging markets. Bilateral trade agreements tend to favor the country with the best economy. That puts the weaker nation at a disadvantage. But making emerging markets stronger helps the developed economy over time.

As those emerging markets become developed, their middle class population increases. That creates new affluent customers for everyone. 

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