In an international context, fairness is particularly important, since only a system which is perceived by its participants as fair can command acceptance and compliance. The main focus of this study is to investigate the development of the notion of fairness in US trade policy and law as well as the impact this notion has on international trade discussions and rule-making, and especially on the formation of the multilateral trade regime. The contention of the author, Americo Beviglia Zampetti, is that fairness concerns, which have been present in the US trade policy debates and treaty practice since the Republic's inception, have contributed to shaping these debates and practice over the years, both at home and abroad. These concerns were finally thrust upon the international scene through inclusion in the multilateral trade regime after World War II. As such, the book forms part of the broader debate over the costs and benefits of globalization. The methodological approach chosen is that of an 'intellectual history', which seeks to understand the origin of a particular idea, trace its trajectory within the international trade policy discourse and evaluate its impact on policy and regime formation. Fairness in the World Economy will be a fascinating and insightful read for academics, students, researchers and policymakers with an interest in international trade issues as well as international affairs, relations and economics.

The multilateral trading system stands at a crossroads. Despite its widely acknowledged contribution to global prosperity over the past half century, the movement toward further liberalization has increasingly been challenged. These essays by leading scholars and trade officials honor Raymond Vernon, one of the architects of the international economic institutions established following the Second World War. The book examines several key issues at the heart of the debate over the multilateral trading system. What are the global efficiency gains from further liberalization? How can efficiency gains be maximized while respecting legitimate claims to sovereignty? Is the trading system affording an equitable distribution of benefits between countries and among various groups within societies? Does civil society have a role in the trading system? What role should the World Trade Organization and its dispute settlement procedures play in resolving disputes and enhancing legitimacy?

The CARIFORUM-EU Economic Partnership Agreement is a sui generis North-South trade and development agreement. The C-EPA is a bi-regional agreement, signed in Bridgetown, Barbados in October 2008, with the specific aim of supporting the sustainable development of the Caribbean. As a paradigm changer in the ACP-EU trade relationship, the C-EPA has unsurprisingly attracted considerable attention. The long process of ratification by twenty-seven EU Member States and fifteen Caribbean countries has begun, and implementation is advancing after an initial delay. This book is the first detailed analysis of the Agreement's provisions, including its negotiating history and prognosis of its future potential. It is written by fifteen Caribbean and European practitioners, most of whom actively contributed to the crafting of the Agreement as CARIFORUM or EU negotiators. The contributions cover the following: * charting a dual approach to CARIFORUM commitments at both regional and national levels; * establishing an architecture of commitments that seeks to support CARIFORUM regional integration; * safeguarding Caribbean preferential access to the EU market; * broadening the ambit of the Caribbean-EU relationship, as reflected in the Cotonou Agreement, into new trade disciplines; * highlighting key drivers in the negotiations; * addressing the CARICOM-Dominican Republic economic relationship; * examining the special treatment of Haiti; and * reviewing the C-EPA's compatibility with WTO rules. The book will be welcomed by trade policy experts, lawyers, trade negotiators, development experts, and other trade practitioners, as well as by academics in the field. Although the particular analysis is of CARIFORUM-EU relations, few will doubt that the issues addressed apply to trade relations in many other parts of the world. The Agreement's articulation of the EPA concept by its EU and Caribbean negotiators is sure to inspire parallel regional arrangements that are evolving elsewhere. The contributors' detailed examination of the C-EPA not only opens the way to improved understanding and sustained implementation of that Agreement but also significantly assists in the development of the global trade regime.