In the empirical part I want to analyse the Middle East and North African Region and the integrational efforts made within the region (intra-regional) and between different regions (inter-regional). Are those regional integration agreements compatible with the Multilateral system (GATT)?
In detail I want to analyse 3 Regional Agreements: On a sub-regional level the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), on a intra-regional level the Greater Arab Free Trade Area (GAFTA) and on a inter-regional level the EU-Med Partnership.
So, the main question is: how do these different agreements go along with each other and especially with the WTO-system? Are they mutually exclusive or do they cross-fertilise each other?
What I need is a feasible approach to these questions? To put it simple: What do I have to "measure" to answer these questions? Which key data is of particular importance?
Thank yopu very much for your thoughts and references!
To your first "theoretical" question: Economic integration is the creating of economic dependance or activity between two differing places.
To the second: The levels are as different as the options for economic activity.
Third: Cause: Human evolution. Effect: Human civilization is created and expanded.
The regional integration agreements are miniature versions of GATT as long as they do not exclude GATT nations and groups.
They all represent the same goal: faster exchanges of wealth across any boundary. They are neither cross-fertilising or mutually exclusive. The GATT creates a template for the other agreements, but it is like a person multi-tasking on something: the economies involved are multi-tasking various methods of growth.
Your feasable approach is use common sense. Do not over think or analyze something.
For your measurements: GDP, profits, revenue ect. of areas and groups involved.