{
  "id": "R41143",
  "type": "CRS Report",
  "typeId": "REPORTS",
  "number": "R41143",
  "active": false,
  "source": "EveryCRSReport.com, University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department",
  "versions": [
    {
      "source": "EveryCRSReport.com",
      "id": 421836,
      "date": "2011-11-15",
      "retrieved": "2016-04-07T00:28:22.024795",
      "title": "Europe\u2019s Preferential Trade Agreements: Status, Content, and Implications",
      "summary": "Preferential trade agreements (PTAs) comprise a variety of arrangements that favor member parties over nonmembers by extending tariff and other nontariff preferences. PTAs, particularly free trade agreements (FTAs), have proliferated in recent years. In the post-war period, the European Union (EU), which is a PTA itself, has developed the largest network of PTAs in the world. The main findings of this report are as follows.\nHistorically, Europe\u2019s PTAs have differed among its partners in terms of provisions and commitments and they have been characterized by relatively modest ambition in terms of market-opening. In comparison, the U.S. approach has been more standardized in terms of its provisions and more focused on achieving reciprocal market access. These differences in approaches, however, have significantly narrowed since the EU adopted its more commercially oriented Global Europe strategy in 2006.\nEU PTAs cover nearly twice as much trade (exports) in percentage terms (70% versus 40%) and seven times as much in value terms ($3.4 trillion versus $0.52 trillion) than U.S. PTAs. These numbers can be used to support the argument that U.S. firms may face more discrimination and possibly reduced sales than EU firms. At the same time, the data may overstate the degree of discrimination because the amount of trade covered by PTAs is not the same as the amount of trade conducted on a preferential (duty-free) basis. \nConcerns about trade discrimination have been a factor in U.S. and EU efforts to negotiate and implement separate but similar PTAs with five trading partners (Israel, Mexico, Morocco, Chile, and Jordan). Based on market share data analyzed, neither side appears to have gained a competitive advantage from having negotiated a PTA. This, however, does not mean that individual firms and workers have not benefitted or that exports have not risen at faster rates after the PTA became effective.\nIn the past, Europe\u2019s PTA program has not been a major factor affecting U.S. FTA policy, which currently is in flux. However, Europe\u2019s recently completed FTA with South Korea raises the concern that U.S. exports will be disadvantaged due to the duty-free price advantage European-based producers will gain in the Korean market. The United States has also negotiated an FTA with Korea, which awaits approval in Korea parliament (Congress approved the agreement in 2011). \nOngoing negotiations between the EU and Canada over a comprehensive FTA could also affect the U.S. FTA debate. If a robust agreement is reached, the EU and the United States would then both have FTAs with Canada and Mexico, making the absence of a FTA between the United States and EU all the more glaring after years of discussion.\nIt is not clear where Europe\u2019s PTA policy is headed. There are only a few remaining major developed countries that fall outside the EU\u2019s network of PTAs, including the United States, China, Japan, Russia and Australia. While PTA negotiations with these countries could yield large economic benefits and provide a big impact (for good or ill) on the world trading system, some of these countries would likely demand liberalization of European agriculture and services, areas where there is widespread opposition in Europe.",
      "type": "CRS Report",
      "typeId": "REPORTS",
      "active": false,
      "formats": [
        {
          "format": "HTML",
          "encoding": "utf-8",
          "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/R41143",
          "sha1": "f9cf1b48eda33ae5983edb4d717efa5d77454416",
          "filename": "files/20111115_R41143_f9cf1b48eda33ae5983edb4d717efa5d77454416.html",
          "images": null
        },
        {
          "format": "PDF",
          "encoding": null,
          "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/R41143",
          "sha1": "57b46bee0a9d3db918116fc7b10c38c6e8959e31",
          "filename": "files/20111115_R41143_57b46bee0a9d3db918116fc7b10c38c6e8959e31.pdf",
          "images": null
        }
      ],
      "topics": []
    },
    {
      "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department",
      "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc103086/",
      "id": "R41143_2011Mar03",
      "date": "2011-03-03",
      "retrieved": "2012-09-19T20:16:14",
      "title": "Europe's Preferential Trade Agreements: Status, Content, and Implications",
      "summary": "This report explores intersecting issues regarding Europe's preferential trade agreements (PTA) in three parts. The first section discusses the status and primary motivations of the EU's PTAs currently in place or under negotiation. The second compares the content and trade coverage of Europe's PTAs to U.S. PTAs. A third section assesses the implications of the EU's PTA program for the multilateral trading system and U.S. trade policy. A concluding section evaluates future directions for Europe's PTA policy.",
      "type": "CRS Report",
      "typeId": "REPORT",
      "active": false,
      "formats": [
        {
          "format": "PDF",
          "filename": "files/20110303_R41143_6f846d3c2a4c92812617de3dcca793190f7bb672.pdf"
        },
        {
          "format": "HTML",
          "filename": "files/20110303_R41143_6f846d3c2a4c92812617de3dcca793190f7bb672.html"
        }
      ],
      "topics": [
        {
          "source": "LIV",
          "id": "International affairs",
          "name": "International affairs"
        },
        {
          "source": "LIV",
          "id": "Trade",
          "name": "Trade"
        },
        {
          "source": "LIV",
          "id": "Trade agreements",
          "name": "Trade agreements"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department",
      "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc503601/",
      "id": "R41143_2010Mar22",
      "date": "2010-03-22",
      "retrieved": "2015-04-30T17:37:21",
      "title": "Europe's Preferential Trade Agreements: Status, Content, and Implications",
      "summary": "The first section of this report describes the status and primary motivations of the EU's preferential trade agreements (PTAs) currently in place or under negotiation. The second compares the content and trade coverage of Europe's PTAs to U.S. PTAs. A third section assesses the implications of the EU's PTA program for the multilateral trading system and U.S. trade policy. A concluding section evaluates future directions for Europe's PTA policy.",
      "type": "CRS Report",
      "typeId": "REPORT",
      "active": false,
      "formats": [
        {
          "format": "PDF",
          "filename": "files/20100322_R41143_79a7f286214642e63c1a5a7fe3dc0392ea7e8312.pdf"
        },
        {
          "format": "HTML",
          "filename": "files/20100322_R41143_79a7f286214642e63c1a5a7fe3dc0392ea7e8312.html"
        }
      ],
      "topics": [
        {
          "source": "LIV",
          "id": "International affairs",
          "name": "International affairs"
        },
        {
          "source": "LIV",
          "id": "Trade",
          "name": "Trade"
        },
        {
          "source": "LIV",
          "id": "Trade agreements",
          "name": "Trade agreements"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "topics": [
    "Agricultural Policy",
    "Economic Policy",
    "Foreign Affairs",
    "Intelligence and National Security"
  ]
}