Introduction to Global Business

Module 4
Regional Economic Integration

Assoc. Prof. Gina F. Dapula, Ph.D.

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 After studying this chapter, you should be able to:

1. Explain regional economic integration, its evolution, and

its benefits and costs.
2. Identify how economic geography helps explain,
promote, and segment regional integration blocs.
3. Identify the primary reasons why countries are now
seeking to pursue regional integration at the expense of
multilateral trade liberalization.
4. Explain why the European Union is seen as the most
advanced regional integration bloc.

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 After studying this chapter, you should be able to:

5. Describe how NAFTA has affected U.S.–Mexico

bilateral trade in goods and services.
6. Explain the importance of ASEAN and indicate why Asia
may become the most important free trade region for
this century.
7. Explain why regional integration in Latin America is
challenging and why there is potential for a grouping
like MERCOSUR to become more predominant.

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EXHIBIT 3.1 TRANS-PACIFIC PARTERNSHIP AGREEMENT

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Exhibit 3.2 The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific
Partnership (CPTPP)

2017

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 What Is Regional Economic Integration?

• Regional integration
– Implementation of a multitude of economic and/or political steps by
member states to increase their global competitiveness, including
preferential trade access.
• Spatial transformations
– The process of allowing efficient geographic distribution of
business activities within and among countries.

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 ASEAN Region
GDP per Capita 2018
In Thousands USD

Map shows where the wealth of a

particular nation is concentrated
 SPATIAL
TRANSFORMATION
 SPATIAL
TRANSFORMATION
“allow efficient geographic contribution of economic
activities within and among countries
“infrastructure unify & connects markets”

Clark Airport, Angeles City, Pampanga Bohol-Panglao Airport

 Stages of Regional Integration

Economic
Free- Common
Customs and Political
trade (or single)
union monetary union
area market
union

Formation of area Free-trade Removal of all The creation of a Establishing

in which two or members adopts barriers to allow single currency common
more countries common the movement of and a regional defense and
agree to eliminate external tariff. capital and labor. central bank. foreign policies.
barriers to trade.

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EXHIBIT 3.2 FORM AND STAGES OF REGIONAL INTEGRATION

Harmonization
Abolition of Common and Unification
Tariffs and External Tariff Abolition of of Economic
Stage of Quotas Among and Quota Restrictions on Policies
Integration Members System Factor Movements and Institutions

Free-trade area Yes No No No

Customs union Yes Yes No No

Common market Yes Yes Yes No

Economic union Yes Yes Yes Yes

 Pros and Cons of Regional Integration

Regional
Integration

Benefits Costs

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 Benefits of Regional Integration
1. Creating a larger pool of consumers with growing
incomes and similar culture, tastes, and social values
2. Encouraging economies of scale in production,
increasing the region’s level of global competitiveness,
and enhancing economic growth through investment
flows
3. Freeing the flow of capital, labor, and technology to the
most productive areas in the region
4. Increasing cooperation, peace, and security among
countries in the region
5. Encouraging member states to enhance their social
welfare to match that of the most progressive states
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 Costs of Regional Integration
1. Undermining the most-favored-nation status rule, an
essential principle of the WTO
2. Imposing uniform laws and regulations that at times do
not take into account national economic, cultural, and
social differences
3. Eliminating jobs and increasing unemployment in
protected industries
4. Losing sovereignty, national independence, and identity
5. Reducing the powers of the national government
6. Increasing the problems of illegal drugs and terrorism
due to the ease of cross-border labor movement

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 WTO Most-Favored-Nation Principle

• Requires treating other nations equally under

the WTO agreements, countries cannot normally
discriminate between their trading partners.
• A most-favored-nation (MFN) clause requires a country
to provide any concessions, privileges, or immunities
granted to one nation in a trade agreement to all
other World Trade Organization member countries.
 How Regional Integration Undermine MFN?

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 Costs of Regional Integration
1. Undermining the most-favored-nation status rule, an
essential principle of the WTO
2. Imposing uniform laws and regulations that at times do
not take into account national economic, cultural, and
social differences
3. Eliminating jobs and increasing unemployment in
protected industries
4. Losing sovereignty, national independence, and identity
5. Reducing the powers of the national government
6. Increasing the problems of illegal drugs and terrorism
due to the ease of cross-border labor movement

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 Costs of Regional Integration
• Undermining the most-favored-nation status rule, an
essential principle of the WTO
• Imposing uniform laws and regulations that at times do
not take into account national economic, cultural, and
social differences
• Eliminating jobs and increasing unemployment in
protected industries
• Losing sovereignty, national independence, and identity
• Reducing the powers of the national government
• Increasing the problems of illegal drugs and terrorism due
to the ease of cross-border labor movement

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 The Economic Geography of Regional
Integration
• Economic geography Steps to Regional
– The study of principles that Integration
govern the efficient spatial
allocation of economic Start small
1
resources and the resulting
consequences.
a. Integration requires economic 2 Think global
geography
Compensate the
3
least fortunate

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 Major classes and characteristics of
Regional Integration
In global trade agreements, tariff and non-tariff barriers
are reduced or eliminated using MFN rules. Under regional
trade agreements, tariff and non-tariff barriers are
reduced only among member countries.
When the various regional integration blocs are analyzed
from an economic geography perspective, they fall under
three (3) categories:
1. Regional blocs close to major world markets
2. Remote regions with large local markets
3. Remote regions with small local markets

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EXHIBIT 3.3 REGIONS CLOSE TO WORLD MARKETS

DR-CAFTA ASEAN
Near the US Near the
China, India

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EXHIBIT 3.4 REGIONS WITH LARGE LOCAL MARKETS
LOCATED FAR FROM WORLD MARKETS

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EXHIBIT 3.5 REGIONS WITH SMALL LOCAL MARKETS LOCATED FAR
FROM WORLD MARKETS

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 Module 4: Part 1 Summary
• Regional integration
• Spatial transformation
• Stages of regional integration
• Economic geography
• Steps to regional integration
• Costs and benefits of regional integration
• Proximity of regions to world markets

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 Introduction to Global Business

Chapter 3 – Part 2
Regional Economic Integration

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 Prominent economic regions that have
achieved integration

North
American
European
Free Trade
Union (EU)
Agreement
(NAFTA)

Association
of South Regional
East Asian Integration
Nations in Latin
(ASEAN) America

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 The European Union (EU)
• EU is the most highly evolved regional integration:
– EU grew out of European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC).
– The Treaty of Rome in 1957 established the European Economic
Community (EEC).
– The Maastricht Treaty in 1992 created the EU as a full economic
union with free movement of labor among its member countries.
– The Euro was adopted as a common currency in 1992.
– Economic coordination and fiscal stability is challenged by the
sovereign debt crisis of some members.

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Brexit Fallout
 The North American Free-Trade
Agreement (NAFTA) was a treaty signed by
• Canada, United States, and Mexico reached a
comprehensive trade agreement in 1994.
• Major NAFTA objectives:
– Trade expansion through phased elimination of all trade barriers
– Protection of intellectual property rights
– Creation of institutions to address unfair trade practices, trade
disputes, environmental protection, worker’s rights, competition
policies, and implementation of NAFTA rules and regulations

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EXHIBIT 3.8
NORTH AMERICAN FREE-
TRADE AGREEMENT

The NAFTA as an integrated economy.

The proximity of each allows the
distribution of goods and services.
NAFTA is the primary the reason why cars
are so affordable in the US. wherein 65%
of cars accessories are made in NAFTA
countries thus boosting employment.
EXHIBIT 3.9 UNITED STATES: IMPORTS OF GOODS TO AND FROM TOP
TEN TRADE PARTNERS (BILLIONS OF U.S. DOLLARS)

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 One of the worlds remarkable integrated economy is the Association of South
East Asian Nations (ASEAN)

• ASEAN’s objectives:
– To accelerate economic growth, social progress, and cultural
development in the region
– To promote peace and stability through the rule of law in
relationships among countries in the region
• Bases for ASEAN: Founded in 1967
– ASEAN Security Community (ASC)
– ASEAN Economic Community
– ASEAN Sociocultural Community

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EXHIBIT 3.10 ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS (ASEAN)

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• ASEAN Plus Three +China,
Japan, South Korea

• ASEAN Plus Six +China, Japan,

South Korea, New Zealand, India, Australia

• ASEAN Regional Forum

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 Regional Integration in Latin America
the south American continent also has a handful of integrated
economy
• The Treaty of Montevideo in 1960 created the Latin
American Free Trade Association (LAFTA).
• Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru created the
Andean Group in 1969.
• Treaty of Asunción in 1991 among Argentina, Brazil,
Paraguay, and Uruguay, created the Southern Cone
Common Market, or MERCOSUR (Mercado Común del
Sur).
• DR-CAFTA (Dominican Republic and Central American
Free Trade Agreement) became effective in 2005.

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EXHIBIT 3.12
REGIONAL INTEGRATION IN
LATIN AMERICA

did not last long due to political and economic

instability of Venezuela, Bolivia, Argentina affected
the growth of the region.
 “There are four types of economies in the
world, developed, underdeveloped, Japan and
Argentina.” -- Simon Kuznets

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 Key Terminologies
1. Regional integration
2. Spatial transformations
3. Free-trade area
4. Customs union
5. Common market or single market
6. Economic and monetary union
7. Political union
8. Economic geography
9. Prominent regions that have achieved integration
 References

Gaspar, Introduction to Global Business. Understanding the International

Environment and Global Business Functions 3rd edition 2023.

Gaspar, Introduction to Global Business. Understanding the International

Environment and Global Business Functions 2nd edition 2019.

www.pna.gov.ph