Pathways from Preferential Trade: The Politics of Trade Adjustment in Africa, the Caribbean and Pacific(International Political Economy Series)

While the liberalization of trade has entailed adjustment costs for both large and small developing countries and LDCs, preference erosion is particularly onerous for small states. Tony Heron investigates the political and economic consequences and, more particularly, policy responses to the erosion of non-reciprocal preferences caused by the liberalization of trade. Although preference erosion is nothing new, what is striking at the current juncture is the degree to which preference erosion is now dominated by a policy consensus that sees the process as not only unavoidable but also desirable. He seeks not such much to challenge this viewpoint as to explore its political implications by looking at the actual experience of individual countries and regions making the transition from preferential to reciprocal free trade.

Table of Contents:
1. Introduction 2. The Rise and Fall of Preferential Trade 3. Understanding the EU-ACP Economic Partnership Agreements: The Case of the CARIFORUM 4. European Policy Diffusion and the Politics of Regional Integration in the Pacific 5. Developmentalism and the Political Economy of Trade Adjustment in Mauritius 6. Southern Africa and the Global Politics of Trade Preference Erosion 7. Conclusion

About the Author :
Tony Heron is Professor of International Politics at the University of York, UK. His other books include The New Political Economy of United States-Caribbean Relations (2004) and The Global Political Economy of Trade Protectionism and Liberalization (2012). Tony is co-editor of the journal New Political Economy.

Review :
"For the best part of 15 years , and counting, the EU's trade links with developing countries have been overshadowed by its negotiations on Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) with the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) states. Most EPA analysis has been by economists, even though the economics is pretty straightforward. Now, at last, is a substantial ex-post analysis from the perspective of political science, which is anything but straightforward. Tony Heron's significant contribution has laid very solid foundations. Given the duration of the negotiations and the myriad sub-groups and interests that underlie the simple acronyms 'EU' and 'ACP' the subject will inevitably attract further work - but all will need to build on what Tony Heron has achieved." - Christopher Stevens, ODI London, UK "For many years, the African, Caribbean and Pacific group of developing economies were located at the apex of the EU's 'pyramid of privileges'. Tony Heron's carefully researched project investigates from a political economy perspective why this preferential position has been eroded, focusing on the lack of clear definition of special and differential treatment in the WTO, and why ACP countries have been unable to bargain effectively with the EU." - John Ravenhill, Balsillie School of International Affairs, Canada "This excellent book provides a richly detailed analysis of the issue of special and differential treatment for developing countries in the global trade system. For anyone wishing to understand the political economy of North-South trade negotiations in general, and the difficulties small developing countries encounter in securing positive outcomes in bilateral and multilateral negotiations more particularly, this book is essential reading." - Donna Lee, University of Kent, UK