Preface

International economic relations span investment and trade, competition, intellec tual property ('IP') rights and double taxation. They are governed by bilateral and multilateral agreements aiming to maximise tariff reduction, open service markets, reduce regulatory risk and foster increased competition. Multilateralism tradition ally prevails in the areas of trade and IP rights globally, particularly via the World Trade Organization ('WTO'), while bilateralism prevails in the areas of investment and taxation. Regionally, comprehensive regulation, including investment and trade, IP rights, but not (yet) double taxation, has developed particularly through the establishment of differently integrated organisations, including not only the EU, but also institutions such as MERCOSUR and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations ('ASEAN'), or comprehensive economic agreements such as the former North American Free Trade Agreement ('NAFTA'), now repealed by the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. Integration and disintegration, centralisation and decentralisation meet, clash and harmonise within this context.