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[[[[[[[ An important and ever-changing aspect of our global environment is the development of regional trading alliances and international trade agreements. Global-trade is growing and proceeds to be a significant factor. These changes and advancements in our world would not be possible without General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), with the World Trade Organization (WTO), the European Union (EU), and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). These involved nations are allies of one another making trade easier and more efficient.

The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, in 1947, was signed by 23 nations. It was established as a set of rules to ensure nondiscrimination, clear procedures, dispute negotiation, and LDC (less developed countries) participation. The successor of GATT is the World Trade Organization. Its goal is to promote nations to have free trade and open markets. Basically, members of this Agreement agree to limit tariffs. The Most Favored Nation Clause refers to the clause, which makes sure that fairness between the trading exists.

A decade later, to improve economic and social condition among the European members, the European Union was formed (formerly known as the European Economic Community). In 2002, the introduction of the Euro replaced twelve member countries' currencies. In 2003 a new treaty was made with new rules and policies. By 2004, they had their biggest expansion, welcoming ten new members from southern and eastern Europe. This totaled 25 members in their alliance. There are still three countries currently in negotiation to join.

More recently developed, was the North American Free Trade Agreement in 1994. Hence the name, it merged the US, Canada, and Mexico. This agreement's goal was to break down tariffs and trade restrictions on most agricultural and manufactured products. This treaty intended to urge growth and investment, increase the number of exports and expand jobs in the three countries. In recent times, about a decade, American trade with both Canada and Mexico has increased.

Despite the good doing of these organizations, things such as loss of jobs due to export work to countries with lower wages have become a primary concern. This is why there has been aglobalization backlash, where protesting is common. In addition to loss of jobs, these protesters believe that these trade alliances contribute to worldwide environmental destruction, and locks poor people in developing nations into a web of poverty and suffering. Antiglobalists are becoming more of a concern now than ever.

International Trade Alliances

Created by the Bretton Woods meetings in New Hampshire in 1944, GATT was initially hoping for economic recovery after World War II. GATT's most important principle was trade without discrimination, in which member nations opened their markets equally to one another. This was planned to be accomplished by encouraging reduction in tariffs as well as other international trade barriers.

GATT 1994 introduced the WTO, when GATT was updated with new obligations. The founding of WTO was on January 1, 1995, with 75 of the GATT members and the European Communities. (The EC was the first of three pillars of the EU called the Community Pillar) Since, 21 new non-GATT members have joined and 28 are currently negotiating their membership. The other 52 members joined within the following two years. WTO headquarters is located in Geneva, Switzerland. The current Director-General is Pascal Lamy, taking Supachai Panitchpakdi's previous position. As of December 2005, there are 149 members in the organization- Saudi Arabia being the latest. WTO, 2004c: All members are required to grant one another most favoured nation status, such that trade concessions granted by a WTO member to another country must be granted to all members. GATT is classed as congressional-executive agreement under US law. It is very similar to a treaty, and it is based on the unconditional most favored nation principle,meaning the conditions applied to the most favored trading nation (the one with the least restrictions) apply to all trading nations.

The EU is an intergovernmental (decision-making in international organizations, where power is possessed by the member-states and decisions are made by unanimity.) and supranational union (decision-making in international organizations, where power is held by independent appointed officials or by representatives elected by the legislatures or people of the member states) made up of 25 democratic countries. These are known as member states. The Treaty on European Union (Maastricht Treaty) was established in 1992. Although that is the main date documented, many aspects of the Union existed dating back to 1951. The main aspects today include having a common single market (goods, services, capital and labour), consisting of a customs union, the euro, common Agriculture Policy, Trade Policy, Fisheries Policy, and a common Foreign/Security Policy.

The European Parliament (EP) along with the Council of the EU, European Commission, and the European Court of Justice is one of the most important EU institutions. It is elected by the citizens of the EU to represent their interests. Since 1979 its members have been directly elected by the people they represent. Elections take place every five years and every EU citizen who is registered as a voter is entitled to do so. Then the Parliament expresses the democratic will of the Union's more than 455 million people, and it represents their interests in discussions with other EU institutions. From health and economic policy to foreign affairs and defence, EU's activities cover all areas of public policy. Depending on the area in question, the EU may be considered a federation, confederation, or an international organization.

Most popular with America, of course, is the North American Free Trade Agreement. Many negotiations have been made over a period of 14 years, such as eliminating duties on half of all US goods shipped to Mexico. Restrictions were to be removed from motor vehicles and automotive parts, computers, textiles, and agriculture. It also protected intellectual property rights (patents, copyrights, and trademarks). This agreement was an expansion of the earlier Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement in 1989. Unlike the European Union, NAFTA is a treaty under international law. The agreement was initially pursued by free-trade conservative governments in the US and Canada, with Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, and George H. W. Bush. There were disagreements on both sides, but in the United States it was able to secure passage after President Clinton made it imperative in 1993. The US House of Representatives passed NAFTA by 234-200 and the US Senate passed it by 61-38 after much debate. There is still opposition today.

The United States and Canada have been arguing for years over the United States' decision to impose a 27% duty on Canadian softwood lumber imports. Canada has won every case brought before the NAFTA tribunal, most recently on March 18, 2006. The failure of the U.S. to stick to the terms of the treaty has caused widespread political debate in Canada. The debate includes cancelling duties on American products, and possibly shutting off all or some energy shipments, like as natural gas.

In addition to these debates and issues, antiglobalization protests are advancing as well. The first most recognized one was that which happened at a WTO meeting in Seattle, Washington in 1999. The negotiations were quickly overshadowed by massive and controversial street protests outside the hotels and convention center. This was the coming-out of the anti-globalization movement in the United States. The scale of the protest demonstrations even the lowest estimates put the crowd at over 40,000. Any previous demonstration in the United States against a world meeting of any of the organizations associated with economic globalization looked small in comparison.

Protestors have also targeted the IMF (International Monetary Fund) and the World Bank. The events on these organizations known as the Iron Triangle, are sometimes referred to as the "Battle of Seattle." Politcal leaders have strived to assure the public of the advantages and steer protestors away from their negative perception. President Bush recently stated these people are no friends to the poor as they claim they are. As for business leaders, they state that the US economy has created benefits such as lower pricing and expanded markets. It is up to business and government now to work together to make sure that theadvantages of a global world are fully and fairly shared. ] ] ] ] ]

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