WTO and regionalism - TTIP case study

This paper describes current trends in regional integration and their mutual relationship with multilateral integration represented by the WTO. A special attention is given to the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), an emerging agreement between the European Union and the United States. The first chapter provides an introduction to the topic of new regionalism and factors, which influence its development. The second chapter concentrates on how regional agreements are handled by the WTO and also on the relationship between multilateral and regional integration. The subject of the third chapter is a TTIP case study as an example of the so called mega-regionalism and possible impact of this agreement on the world trading system