The establishment of the World Trade Organization (and its Single Undertaking) has facilitated the expansion of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) by setting common trade obligations, while setbacks in advancing the multilateral agenda have created new outlets for consideration of bilateral and regional options. Because there are countries in Asia-Pacific engaged in such negotiations, it is essential that the implications of various models of FTAs with diverse trading partners are well-grasped.

This Paper is divided into four main parts. Parts I, II and III examine this phenomenon of FTA proliferation and the underlying forces and motivations of key players at work. Part IV builds on the analysis to address the impact of the FTA explosion on human development policy choices in key areas such as agriculture, textiles, rules of origin, intellectual property, trade in services, and investment.