英语四级快速阅读专项练习（三）
Types of International Economic Integration
Consumption in an integrated area is potentially higher than the sum of the consumptions of individual countries which are potential partners for integration in the situation in which trade is impeded by customs duties, quotas and barriers to factor mobility. International economic integration removes, at least partly, these and other distortions to trade and, possibly, investment. In this sense, international economic integration between at least two countries can have the following seven theoretical types.
A preferential tariff agreement among countries assumes that the customs duties on trade among the signatory countries are lower in relation to customs duties charged on trade with third countries.
A partial customs union is formed when the participating countries retain their initial tariffs on their mutual trade and introduce a common external tariff on trade with third countries.
A free trade area is an agreement among countries about the elimination of all tariff and quantitative restrictions on mutual trade. Every country in this area retains its own tariff and other regulation of trade with third countries. The bases of this agreement are the rules of origin. These rules prevent trade deflection, which is the import of goods from third countries into the area by country A （which has a relatively lower external tariff than country B） in order to reexport the goods to country B.
In a customs union, participating countries not only remove tariff and quantitative restrictions on their internal trade, but also introduce a common external tariff on trade with third countries. The participating countries take part in international negotiations about trade and tariffs as a single unity.
In a common market, apart from a customs union, there exists free mobility of factors of production. Common regulations （restrictions） on the movement of factors with third countries are introduced.
An economic union among countries assumes not only a common market, but also the harmonization of fiscal, monetary, industrial, regional, transport and other economic policies.
A total economic union among countries assumes a union with a single economic policy and a supranational government of this confederation with great economic authority.
Table 1 shows selected types of international economic integration. The process of international economic integration does not have to be gradual from one type to another. The establishment of any of these types depends on the agreement among the participating countries. Spontaneous or market integration is created by actions of TNCs, banks and other financial institutions—often without the involvement of their governments—while formal of institutional integration asks for a formal agreement among governments to eliminate selected or all restrictions on trade and factor movements on their economic relations （Panic, 1988, p. 6-7）. There is substantial historical evidence to support the argument that the formal approach to integration asks for a spontaneous way, and vice versa. The decision about entering into a customs union or any other type of integration is in fact political. A decision to abandon a part of national sovereignty with respect to the taxation of trade （all in a customs union, part in a free trade area） should be made by politicians.
Table 1 Types of international economic integration
Type 1 Free trade area Type 2 Customs union Type 3 Common market union Type 4 Economic union Type 5 Total economic Removal of tariffs And quotas on trade among the countries Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Common external tariff No Yes Yes Yes Yes Freedom of movement of factors No No Yes Yes Yes Harmonization of economic policies No No No Yes Yes Total unification of economic policies No No No No Yes
SovereigntyInternational economic integration is popularly criticized on the grounds that it reduces a country's national sovereignty （undisputed political power）. When two or more sovereign countries sign a treaty, they agree to do and/ or not to do specified things. Therefore, it is not a valid criticism of any international treaty to say that it entails a loss of national sovereignty. All treaties do so in one way or another. The real issue is: do the countries' concessions constitute a mutually beneficial deal. Is the surrender of sovereignty justified by the results? Consider, for example, the Canadian debate leading up to the Canada-United States Free Trade Agreement in Lipsey and York （1988）.