The Treatment of Agriculture in Regional Trade Agreements in the Americas

This IDB Working Paper is intended to provide an overview of how the agricultural sector is treated in regional trade agreements (RTAs) involving Latin American countries, whose exports tend to be more oriented towards agriculture. The paper compares the treatment of agriculture in RTAs between Latin American countries ("intra-Americas agreements"), as well as with Asian countries ("trans-Pacific agreements:), and Europe and the Middle East ("trans-Atlantic agreements"). The paper also offers case studies on the impact of the agreements on agricultural trade between the signatory parties and assesses opportunities for trade liberalization in the agricultural sector afforded by RTAs in comparison with multilateral trade agreements.