Rupa Chanda
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- September 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780198069959
- eISBN:
- 9780199080021
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198069959.001.0001
- Subject:
- Economics and Finance, South and East Asia
This book analyses the prospects for services integration in South Asia, focusing on member countries of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) — India, Bhutan, Bangladesh, ...
More
This book analyses the prospects for services integration in South Asia, focusing on member countries of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) — India, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives. SAARC turned to trade promotion in order to achieve greater regional integration, starting with the signing of the SAARC Preferential Trade Agreement (SAPTA) in April 1993. The book discusses the role and performance of services within the region and identifies those services and areas which offer good and varied prospects for intra-regional integration. It also assesses the status of liberalization and reforms as well as current levels of intra-regional engagement in services in order to highlight the policy environment and existing opportunities and interests in the regional market. Furthermore, the book looks at multilateral and extra-regional/bilateral commitments made by the member countries of the South Asian Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA) in services and their positions on key issues in order to evaluate their preparedness to commit under SAFTA. Finally, the book considers negotiating priorities in different services and on cross-cutting issues to point out possible modalities for negotiation.Less
This book analyses the prospects for services integration in South Asia, focusing on member countries of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) — India, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives. SAARC turned to trade promotion in order to achieve greater regional integration, starting with the signing of the SAARC Preferential Trade Agreement (SAPTA) in April 1993. The book discusses the role and performance of services within the region and identifies those services and areas which offer good and varied prospects for intra-regional integration. It also assesses the status of liberalization and reforms as well as current levels of intra-regional engagement in services in order to highlight the policy environment and existing opportunities and interests in the regional market. Furthermore, the book looks at multilateral and extra-regional/bilateral commitments made by the member countries of the South Asian Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA) in services and their positions on key issues in order to evaluate their preparedness to commit under SAFTA. Finally, the book considers negotiating priorities in different services and on cross-cutting issues to point out possible modalities for negotiation.
Rupa Chanda
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- September 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780198069959
- eISBN:
- 9780199080021
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198069959.003.0002
- Subject:
- Economics and Finance, South and East Asia
Regional integration remains unfulfilled in South Asia due to a general lack of dynamism and political will. Despite progress on the bilateral front between member countries of the South Asian ...
More
Regional integration remains unfulfilled in South Asia due to a general lack of dynamism and political will. Despite progress on the bilateral front between member countries of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), the bilateral relationship between India and Pakistan has proved to be a major hindrance. This chapter discusses the potential benefits of services integration under the South Asian Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA) by analyzing trends in services growth, output, employment, investment, and trade in each of the countries in the region (India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives). Based on performance and contribution characteristics, it identifies a representative set of services and issues that hold most promise for discussion under SAFTA. These include two infrastructure or producer services (energy and telecommunications), two social services (education and healthcare), and one commercial service (tourism).Less
Regional integration remains unfulfilled in South Asia due to a general lack of dynamism and political will. Despite progress on the bilateral front between member countries of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), the bilateral relationship between India and Pakistan has proved to be a major hindrance. This chapter discusses the potential benefits of services integration under the South Asian Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA) by analyzing trends in services growth, output, employment, investment, and trade in each of the countries in the region (India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives). Based on performance and contribution characteristics, it identifies a representative set of services and issues that hold most promise for discussion under SAFTA. These include two infrastructure or producer services (energy and telecommunications), two social services (education and healthcare), and one commercial service (tourism).
Rupa Chanda
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- September 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780198069959
- eISBN:
- 9780199080021
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198069959.003.0001
- Subject:
- Economics and Finance, South and East Asia
Over the past 20 years, regional and bilateral trading agreements have become popular due to the slow progress of multilateral negotiations and competitive pressures amongst countries to enter into ...
More
Over the past 20 years, regional and bilateral trading agreements have become popular due to the slow progress of multilateral negotiations and competitive pressures amongst countries to enter into such arrangements for fear of being left out. However, the economies of South Asia have been relatively slow to recognize the importance of regional integration in furthering their investment, trade, and larger development goals. This chapter provides a chronology of regional integration efforts in South Asia and outcomes, discusses progress in services negotiation, and compares the South Asian Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA) relative to other regional alliances, particularly within Asia. The discussion provides a brief history of regional integration efforts in South Asia in terms of the progression from the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) to SAFTA and the contentious issues that have characterized this process.Less
Over the past 20 years, regional and bilateral trading agreements have become popular due to the slow progress of multilateral negotiations and competitive pressures amongst countries to enter into such arrangements for fear of being left out. However, the economies of South Asia have been relatively slow to recognize the importance of regional integration in furthering their investment, trade, and larger development goals. This chapter provides a chronology of regional integration efforts in South Asia and outcomes, discusses progress in services negotiation, and compares the South Asian Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA) relative to other regional alliances, particularly within Asia. The discussion provides a brief history of regional integration efforts in South Asia in terms of the progression from the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) to SAFTA and the contentious issues that have characterized this process.
Rupa Chanda
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- September 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780198069959
- eISBN:
- 9780199080021
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198069959.003.0009
- Subject:
- Economics and Finance, South and East Asia
This chapter emphasizes the importance of adopting a gradual approach to services negotiations in South Asia under the South Asian Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA). In particular, it examines several ...
More
This chapter emphasizes the importance of adopting a gradual approach to services negotiations in South Asia under the South Asian Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA). In particular, it examines several cross-cutting issues that would need to be addressed if any progress is to be made with regional services integration. These issues include investment and taxes, transport, regional mobility of service providers, research and development, trade facilitation, regulatory cooperation, and information collection and dissemination within the region. This chapter also describes the nature of commitments that could be undertaken by individual member countries under SAFTA and the approach that could be adopted to address important cross-cutting issues. In addition, it considers the possibility of a General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS)-type architecture.Less
This chapter emphasizes the importance of adopting a gradual approach to services negotiations in South Asia under the South Asian Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA). In particular, it examines several cross-cutting issues that would need to be addressed if any progress is to be made with regional services integration. These issues include investment and taxes, transport, regional mobility of service providers, research and development, trade facilitation, regulatory cooperation, and information collection and dissemination within the region. This chapter also describes the nature of commitments that could be undertaken by individual member countries under SAFTA and the approach that could be adopted to address important cross-cutting issues. In addition, it considers the possibility of a General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS)-type architecture.
