Understanding Mega Free Trade Agreements ─ The Political and Economic Governance of New Cross-Regionalism

The rise of cross-regional trade agreements is a defining trend of the current international trade system as shown by the signing of the Transpacific Partnership in 2015, the negotiations for the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership between the USA and the EU as well as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership between countries in Asia and Oceania.

These differ from previous agreements in two regards: 1) the economic significance and large geographic scale of cross-regional free trade agreements; 2) the wide scope of trade-related issues that "next generation" trade agreements include: from the protection of intellectual property, phytosanitary and sanitary standards, labor rights and environmental regulation, data privacy and geographical indications.

Despite the far-reaching implications of mega free trade agreements, academic scholars have only recently begun to analyze the defining features of what could be interpreted as a new phase of globalization. This book takes stock of the complex and hybrid character of contemporary international political economy. By shedding light on the political and economic governance of new cross-regionalism and focusing on the characteristics and stakes of initiatives that span most continents such as TTIP, it "takes cross-regionalism seriously" by providing a serious academic debate on a topic that promises to transform the world economy for decades to come.

Jean-Baptiste Velut is an Associate Professor in American Studies at Universite Sorbonne Nouvelle in Paris.

Louise Dalingwater is an Associate Professor in British studies at Universite Sorbonne Nouvelle in Paris.

Vanessa Boullet is an Associate Professor in Irish Studies at the University of Lorraine.

Valerie Peyronel is Professor of British and Irish Studies at Universite Sorbonne Nouvelle in Paris.