The global trading eco-system has seen a rapid proliferation of Regional Trade Agreements(RTAs) in recent years. With the ever increasing expansion of RTAs, countries are now witnessing an intensified competitiveness in world markets. While on the one hand, RTAs are seen as providing much better mechanisms for trading access in foreign countries with inbuilt flexibilities in rule formation and compliance, on the other, it is also said to be subverting the authority of the global trading body i.e. the World Trade Organization. The present article aims to analyse the critical legal bases of proliferating RTAs. To this end, it will offer an examination of the scope of RTAs and the key provisions under the WTO, which support the legal edifice of RTAs.
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