Mapping of dispute settlement mechanisms in regional trade agreements – innovative or variations on a theme?

Regional trade agreements (RTAs) have become an indelible feature of the international trading landscape. The number of RTAs has not only increased exponentially over the years, but their content has also evolved over time. In particular, RTAs have become quite expansive in their regulatory coverage, moving from the reduction of tariffs to behind- the border issues such as the harmonization of standards, and further, to so- called “WTO- extra” (WTO- X) issues such as competition and investment. Moreover, the enforcement mechanisms established by RTAs have increasingly shifted from politically oriented procedures to more sophisticated, legalistic forms of dispute settlement.