Global governance is a concern of not only global organisations but also of all individual states and of regional co-operation agreements among sovereign states. In 2001, the United Nations University has launched UNU-CRIS, a research and training programme on comparative regional integration to study the role of regional integration in global governance. The present first volume of the World Report on Regional Integration is a timely product of the research undertaken at UNU-CRIS. This new series of World Reports will certainly contribute to the discussion on the interaction between regional and global governance. And by bringing together insights from different parts of the UN system, in particular the five UN regional economic commissions and UNCTAD, this report will also contribute to a better understanding of the role of regions in the UN. Hans van Ginkel, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Rector of UNU The World Report on Regional Integration brings together a well-balanced mix of economic analysis, facts and political perspectives on the topic of regional integration. The most valuable and unique contribution of this volume is the enhanced clarity it brings to the complex picture of trade and investment integration, the entanglement of which points to the need for more effective regional governance as a building block of multilateral governance in this area. As the world's most dynamic trading region, Asia and the Pacific is a key player in this process, and the UNESCAP secretariat, in its service to the region, will continue to accord high priority to this policy objective. Kim Hak-Su, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and ExecutiveSecretary of UNESCAP

Combining an analysis of regionalism from a systemic view with a domestic political-economy analysis, this book sheds light on the new dynamics and emerging configurations of regionalisms and interregionalisms in the post-Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). Donald Trump's presidency has transformed trans-Pacific economic and political relations, contrasting sharply with President Obama's 'pivot to Asia' strategy. Unilateralism and bilateralism have returned to the center stage, at the cost of regionalism, interregionalism, and multilateralism. Understanding these new dynamics requires closer examination of the underlying domestic political economies. Examining ten country case studies of multi-actor agency at the national level, expert contributors argue that trans-Pacific relations should not only be explained in terms of the behavior of the major powers, but that medium powers, and even small countries, can exert influence and occupy strategic nodes and contribute to shaping a new international relations network. Their findings will be of interest to scholars of international relations, international political economy, regionalism, and international economics.

This volume brings together experts from different world regions. It presents various experiences with building indicator systems for monitoring the implementation of regional economic integration policies such as preferential trade areas, common markets or economic and monetary unions. The volume discusses both the technical and governance aspects of such systems, and best practices. The regional experiences that are covered include: the European Union, Eurasia, ASEAN, the East African Community (EAC), COMESA, CARICOM, the African-Caribbean-Pacific Group, and the Americas. In addition, various chapters discuss cross-cutting methodological challenges related to trade-related indicators.

Combining an analysis of regionalism from a systemic view with a domestic political-economy analysis, this book sheds light on the new dynamics and emerging configurations of regionalisms and interregionalisms in the post-Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). Donald Trump's presidency has transformed trans-Pacific economic and political relations, contrasting sharply with President Obama's 'pivot to Asia' strategy. Unilateralism and bilateralism have returned to the center stage, at the cost of regionalism, interregionalism, and multilateralism. Understanding these new dynamics requires closer examination of the underlying domestic political economies. Examining ten country case studies of multi-actor agency at the national level, expert contributors argue that trans-Pacific relations should not only be explained in terms of the behavior of the major powers, but that medium powers, and even small countries, can exert influence and occupy strategic nodes and contribute to shaping a new international relations network. Their findings will be of interest to scholars of international relations, international political economy, regionalism, and international economics.

The slow pace of the Doha Round has boosted the proliferation of regional and bilateral trade agreements. Paradoxically, the more powerful actors, the US and the European Union, who at the same time have benefited the most from the multilateral system, have also been engaged in bilateral and regional negotiations in order to sign WTO-plus agreements with developing countries. Combining a clear theoretical exposition with systematic cross-regional analysis, 'Asymmetric Trade Negotiations' offers a coherent picture of strategic, design and political economy aspects of North-South trade negotiation processes, from African, Asian and Latin American perspectives. Skilled area specialists gather to provide negotiators and policy makers in the South with recommendations, best practices, and benchmarks and contribute to the understanding of these recent processes.

This volume brings together different methods for monitoring and analysing regional integration processes together in a systematic way. It addresses the need in academic study and practice for an analysis of these methods.

The slow pace of the Doha Round has boosted the proliferation of regional and bilateral trade agreements. Paradoxically, the more powerful actors, the US and the European Union, who at the same time have benefited the most from the multilateral system, have also been engaged in bilateral and regional negotiations in order to sign WTO-plus agreements with developing countries. Combining a clear theoretical exposition with systematic cross-regional analysis, 'Asymmetric Trade Negotiations' offers a coherent picture of strategic, design and political economy aspects of North-South trade negotiation processes, from African, Asian and Latin American perspectives. Skilled area specialists gather to provide negotiators and policy makers in the South with recommendations, best practices, and benchmarks and contribute to the understanding of these recent processes.

The Regional Integration Manual brings together different methods for monitoring and analysing regional integration processes in a systematic way. Employing a multi-disciplinary approach, it seeks to provide officials in regional organisations, researchers in think tanks, academics and students worldwide with an accessible set of both quantitative and qualitative tools, useful in their day-to-day work. The Manual addresses an increasing demand for such tools, in a world where mechanisms and ideas for effective regional government and governance are in dire need, whereas the monitoring and analytical capabilities of official and non-governmental actors often lag behind. It also addresses a rapidly growing academic community studying the determinants, depth, speed and other characteristics of regional integration and co-operation. Employing a multi-disciplinary approach, The Regional Integration Manual will be of interest to scholars of governance and regional politics as well as policy-makers and those in regional organisations.

This book analyzes the monetary and exchange rate policies in Eastern European countries not covered by the current EU enlargement process. Specifically the book examines the major CIS countries: Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia and the Ukraine. (The new Eastern European EU members are also frequently referenced for comparison purposes.) Current and prospective monetary policy options are considered and the applicability of the EU monetary integration experience for the CIS countries and the prospects of a monetary re-unification around the Russian Federation are assessed. This is the first book to formally deal with many of these questions.

A unique examination of why the quest for global free trade often forgets that trade liberalization is organized regionally rather than multilaterally. There are now more than 250 regional integration initiatives and this number is steadily increasing. This trend raises a key question: What is the impact of regional integration, both for the countries involved and for those excluded from regional integration schemes? Using a combined economic, political science and scientific approach, this book explores how regional integration can be measured and evaluated and delivers comprehensive answers. It looks at the methodological problems involved in designing monitoring tools for regional integration in a systematic way and makes a number of concrete suggestions for designing and organising systems of indicators of regional integration. It also offers a critical overview of available indicators and tools and presents crucial new monitoring instruments. This book will be of great interest to students and researchers of international relations and economics as well as policy makers and professionals within international and regional organizations.

Developing countries have joined the rapidly growing global system of regional trade agreements (RTAs) over the past years. The drive towards regional integration has advanced with the formation of new markets and groups in Latin America, Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Oceania with few developing countries remaining outside these regional schemes. This volume looks at how 'getting governance right' is a central element for successful RTA implementation, taking stock of the quality and effectiveness of the monitoring of development country RTAs around the world. Organized by the main world regions and primarily focusing on developing country RTAs, the book also includes two case studies focused on monitoring in developed country regional agreements by way of comparison. The contributors operationalize governance in the context of RTA implementation with a more narrow and technical term of 'monitoring' and provide eight important lessons for assessing monitoring around the world.

What is the impact of regional integration for different countries and how can it be measured? Using an interdisciplinary approach, this book explores how regional integration can be quantified, evaluated and monitored.
In today's globalizing world there is growing tension between the quest for global free trade and the fact that trade liberalization is frequently organized regionally rather than multilaterally. This book investigates the methodological problems involved in designing monitoring tools for regional integration, and makes suggestions for designing and organizing systems of indicators of regional integration. The volume is organized into three sections:
- Part one discusses general theoretical and methodological aspects of building indicator systems.
- Part two focuses on the measurement of regional economic integration and interdependence.
- Part three explore the possibilities for monitoring political integration, regional governance and conflict.
The book will be of interest to students and researchers of international relations and economics as well as policy makers and professionals within international and regional organizations.

This book analyzes the monetary and exchange rate policies in Eastern European countries not covered by the current EU enlargement process. Specifically the book examines the major CIS countries: Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia and the Ukraine. (The new Eastern European EU members are also frequently referenced for comparison purposes.) Current and prospective monetary policy options are considered and the applicability of the EU monetary integration experience for the CIS countries and the prospects of a monetary re-unification around the Russian Federation are assessed. This is the first book to formally deal with many of these questions.

Much has been said about the driving forces of region-building processes or regionalization worldwide, yet few systematic and comparative studies have been conducted on how regions can contribute to the building of other regions - and more concretely, how the European Union has 'pushed' for regionalization worldwide. This comparative book investigates the impact that the EU has on regionalization elsewhere through its inter-regional relations. Covering agriculture, trade, ASEAN, NAFTA, MERCOSUR and Commonwealth amongst other topics, it investigates whether the EU contributes directly, as well as indirectly, to increased regional integration in different parts of the world.

The relationship between global governance and regionalisation is fraught with ambiguity. Understanding regionalisation in this context requires an understanding of its relationship, and reactive condition, with both the constellations of global governance and globalisation.

This book presents an overview and explores the distinctive but intersecting trajectories of regionalisation and global governance. It surveys:

• the theoretical debates
• the economic dimensions: multinationals, trade and investment, and labour
• the security considerations: armed conflict, conflict prevention and peacekeeping and non-traditional security in Asia
• the governing structures: managing contemporary multilevel architecture and cultural policy, leadership and the L-20.

The expert and multi-disciplinary editors and contributors survey the context as well as the general character of these projects, together with their links as both parallel mediating mechanisms and distinctive choices for interjecting governance into globalisation. Examining these projects in tandem amplifies their importance and enables the author tease out coincidental as well as alternative possibilities in policy direction.

This book will be of interest to students and scholars of international relations, area studies, international economics, international political economy, political science, public administration and development studies.

The relationship between global governance and regionalisation is fraught with ambiguity. Understanding regionalisation in this context requires an understanding of its relationship, and reactive condition, with both the constellations of global governance and globalisation.

This book presents an overview and explores the distinctive but intersecting trajectories of regionalisation and global governance. It surveys:

• the theoretical debates
• the economic dimensions: multinationals, trade and investment, and labour
• the security considerations: armed conflict, conflict prevention and peacekeeping and non-traditional security in Asia
• the governing structures: managing contemporary multilevel architecture and cultural policy, leadership and the L-20.

The expert and multi-disciplinary editors and contributors survey the context as well as the general character of these projects, together with their links as both parallel mediating mechanisms and distinctive choices for interjecting governance into globalisation. Examining these projects in tandem amplifies their importance and enables the author tease out coincidental as well as alternative possibilities in policy direction.

This book will be of interest to students and scholars of international relations, area studies, international economics, international political economy, political science, public administration and development studies.