Regional Economic Integration
Regional integration of the Americas affects most countries in North America, South America and the Caribbean. The movement has formal origins in early trade agreements and blocs such as NAFTA and MERCOSUR. The regional integration today is focused on building stronger links between the nations of the Americas to lower trade barriers and foster economic growth between these nations (Lavranos, n.d.). Talks are aiming towards a free trade area with at least 34 countries included (The Economist, 2011). The nations involved are the U.S., Canada and 32 other nations in the region, the notable exceptions being members of an anti-America bloc that includes Venezuela, Cuba, Bolivia and Ecuador (The Economist, 2011).
Subgroups exist within these many countries. Several smaller trade pacts form the backbone of the existing groupings -- Mercosur, NAFTA and the Andean Community (excluding Ecuador). These countries have already signed many different trade agreements around the world, creating strong linkages with everybody from Pakistan (deal with Mercosur) to the Caribbean nations (via the Canada-CARICOM fta) (Estavadeordal, 2012). The Pacific nations are also involved in deals of their own, the most significant being the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
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