Developing country governments are increasingly resorting to comprehensive trade agreements involving profound commitments in public policy, which have wide-ranging adverse consequences on food security, industrial development, financial stability, etc. This paper analyses investment disciplines in FTAs in order to come to an understanding of their overall impact on a developing country FTA partner's policy space, and therefore, on its development prospects. It is argued that given the links between trade and investment commitments within and across different FTAs, South-South FTAs have become as problematic as North-South FTAs.

May 9, 2011.