Global Developments: A Plurilateral Services Agreement?
It is time to stop talking about the Doha Round and to turn to developments in the aftermath of the apparent demise of the multilateral trade talks. There is little doubt that the suspension (or some might say the definitive termination) of the multilateral trade negotiations has released the energies of trade policy officials of important trading nations for invigorating expansion and deepening of regional agreements. Big ideas like the Free Trade Area of the Asia- Pacific and the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which have captured the imagination of the Heads of States and Governments, now have a chance to be translated into reality. Smaller formations of regional agreements, including bilateral ones, are also forging ahead across the globe.
