*International trade is an exchange of goods ,capital,and services across international boundaries or territories.

*NAFTA:North American File Trade Agreement signed in 1994 between the USA,Mexico and Canada.It is the most comprehensive regional trade agreement ever negociated by the USA.
*MERCOSUR:Mercado comun del Sur signed between Argentina,Brazil,Uruguay,Paraguay(early 1990’s) .June 2012:Paraguay is suspended and replaced by Venezuela.It is a counterbalance to North America geopolitical influence.It has become the 3rd largest market in the world after NAFTA and the EU.

*Free trade is a market model in which trade in goods and services between or within countries flow unhindered by government-imposed restrictions.restrictions to trade include taxes and other legislation,such as tariff and no-tariff trade barriers.Free trade can be constrasted with protectionism,which is the economic polic of restraining trade between nations;through methods such as high tariffs on imported goods,restrictive quotas,a variety of restrictive government regulations designed to discourage imports.

Fair trade is ‘trading partnership,based on dialogue,transparency and respect,that seeks greater equity in international trade.It contributes to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions to,and securing the rights of,marginalized producers and workers-especially in the South.’

*The Treaty of Lisbon was signed in December 2007 by the 27 European member states,it transforms the institutional framework of the Union.It modifies the Treaty of Rome(1957) and the Treaty on the EU(Maastricht,1992).The treaty came into force in 2009.It aims to :

·  Modernise how the EU functions

·  Adapt the rules of the existing treaties so that the Union cn react to the new challenges of the 21st.

·  It reforms the architecture of the Union

·  It makes decision-making more flexible

·  It srenghthens the Union’s external representation

The Schengen area is a group of 26 Europe countries that have abolished passeport and immigration controls at their common borders.It functions as a single country for international travel purposes with a common visa policy.Joining Schengen entails eliminating internal border controls with the other Schengen members while strengthening external border controls with non Schengen states.

*The Eurozone refers to a currency union among the EU member states that have adopted the euro as their sole official currency.It has 17 member states the latest member being Estonia(jan 2011) and it is the largest economy in the world.

*Agricultural subsidy: is a governmental subsidy(sum of money) paid to farmers or agrobusinesses to supplement their income,manage the supply of agricultural commodities and influence the cost and supply of such commodities (coton,mlik,rice,sugar,tabacco…)

A BLOC denotes a group of people or nations that have political aims or interests in common.

Intratrade=commerce intra-branche

Agreements governing trade=lea accords reagissant le commerce

Tariff duties=droits de douane

*Free-Trade areas:a group of countries that promote free trade between member nations,but permit each nation to maintain its own,and perhaps different,trade restrictions vis-à-vis non-members.

*Customs Union is a group of countries that eliminates trade barriers amng members,but maintains a common external tariff on trade with non-members.

Schedule of tariffs=bareme de tarifs douaniers

Set by negotiation=fixé par négotiation

A trade creating customs union=une union douaniere creatrice d’echanges

A trade diverting customs union=une union douaniere detournant les echanges

A trade-creating effect=un effet createur d’echanges

A trade-diverting effect=un effet de detournement d’echanges

To faster=promouvoir,encourager,stimuler

To divert something away from someone=detourner qqch de qqn

*Common Market is a customs union which also attempts to develop a common polic in matters other than international trade.

Tax code/internal revenue code=code des impots,legislation fiscale

Areawide=qui couvre l’ensemble de la zone

Drift=derive

Balance of power=equilibre des forces

To cut a deal=passer un accord

Preferential trade deals=accords commerciaux preferentiels

To hold talks with=avoir/tenir/organiser des pourparlers/des negotiations avec

To encroach on something=empieter sur qqch

Trade agenda =ordre du jour/programme des negotiations commerciales

To tighten one’s allances=resserer ses alliances

Border restrictions=restrictions frontalieres

Tariff phase-outs=elimination progressive des tarifs douaniers

Trade as a vehicle for development=le commerce comme vecteur de developpement

Effective market=marché réel

To ease restrictions=diminuer/alleger des restrictions

Tariff breaks=reductions tarifaires

To qualify fot sth=avoir droit a qqch,remplir les conditions requises pour obtenir qqch

Impediments to trade=entraves au commerce

To encompass=englober,regrouper(des personnes,des territoires)

To enter into an agreement=passer un accord

To become effective=entrer en vigueur,prendre effet

To develop out of=etre le produit/le fruit de

Trade pattern=structure des echanges

Resource allocation=allocation/affectation des ressources

Duty-free zone=zone hors taxe

Free (economic)zone=zone franche

Large=wide

Opposants=opponents

Lever=to lift

La fuite=the flight

A peine=hardly

Peser=to weight up

Flux=flaw

Intensifier=to heighteen

The stability and growth fact agreement among the 28members states to facilitate and maintain the stability of the economy and monetary union.It consist of fiscal monitoring and a yearly recommandation for policy action to ensure a full compliance with the SGP.If a member bleaches the limit for government deficit action will intensify through the declaration an excessive procedure.If no corrective action is taken :economic sanction for the member state.

Doha Development Agenda: a round of negotiation which started in november 2001 in Doha, Qatar. Objective:to lower trade barriers around the world permitting free trade between countries of varuing prosperty.

+ Connaitre WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION