A Comparative Perspective between the European Union and NAFTA. Jean Monnet/Robert Schuman Paper Series, Vol. 3 No. 5, August 2003

Chanona, Alejandro. (2003) A Comparative Perspective between the European Union and NAFTA. Jean Monnet/Robert Schuman Paper Series, Vol. 3 No. 5, August 2003.

Abstract

(From the introduction). There are currently several expectations regarding NAFTA that clearly foresee something beyond a simple free trade area (FTA). Moreover, there are analytical exercises in a comparative perspective with the European Union (EU) that confer the benefit of the doubt on the idea of a North American Community. (1) If we agree that the NAFTA is a region in the making and its objectives tend to be overtaken by the dynamics of the region, we are in business. North America has become a real region for security reasons, for economic advantages and for political interests. The point is whether the NAFTA has its own model or its evolution reveals features common to the European experience, although we do not see the need for North America to become a loyal copy of the European regional integration model. In summary, what the NAFTA needs is a theoretical tradition to debate its progress as well as its obstacles, in order to study its nature beyond simple negative integration and assuming that the Regional Integration Agreement entered between among Canada, the United States and Mexico, could perfectly evolve towards a community with a stronger institutional system.