Services facilitation refers to the simplification, modernisation, and harmonisation of services regulations with a view to reducing transaction costs. It is a key component of the Facilitation 2.0 framework. So far the most significant advances in rule-making on services facilitation have taken...

Our current resource use is unsustainable – the circular economy provides a solution through its focus on behavioural change, resource and energy efficiency, and the closing of material loops. The focus of the circular economy is on the full life cycle of products. In today’s globalised world, raw...

Regional trade agreement (RTA) rules cover policy areas vital for 21st century trade , but can be surprisingly hard to find and complex to navigate. By making RTA texts available in a machine-readable format, a new RTA Exchange tool helps stakeholders of trade agreements make more informed...

Continued expansion of the multilateral agenda through the World Trade Organization’s Trade Facilitation Agreement and beyond, or Facilitation 2.0, represents a coherent basis for extending trade policy’s design and delivery via digital technologies. A more comprehensive trade facilitation agenda...

Regional trade agreement dispute settlement is prejudiced by the lack of a support structure for panels. Using an external body – as proposed in the EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement – is a cost-effective way of addressing this issue. Using a court of arbitration – such as the Permanent Court...