Constraints and Compromises Trade Policy in a Democracy: The Case of the U.S.-Israel Free Trade Area Routledge Library Editions: International Trade Policy Series

The negotiation of the Free Trade Area between the US and Israel was, at the time, a remarkable political accomplishment, and is a useful case study because it includes all of the industrial and agricultural sectors, thus spanning the full spectrum of issues that would be dealt with in negotiations. In addition, it has the advantage of involving just two countries and lasting only fifteen months from start to finish, facilitating a comprehensive analysis. This book, first published in 1990, provides a valuable analysis of this vital case study of an FTA from commencement to completion.

1. Introduction 2. Literature Review and Theoretical Framework 2.1. Economic Theory and the Determinants of Protection 2.2. Industry Differences in Obtaining Protection 2.3. Industry Differences in Trade Negotiations 2.4. The Role of Politics in Trade Policy Formation 2.5. Developing a Framework 3. Economic Framework of the FTA 3.1. Trade Overview 3.2. The Free Trade Area Agreement 3.3. Analysing the Effect of the US-Israel FTA 4. The Trade Policy Process 4.1. The Partnership Between Congress and the Executive Branch in the Trade Policy Process 4.2. The Decision to Negotiate a Free Trade Area 4.3. The Role of Congress in the US-Israel FTA 4.4. The ITC Report 4.5. The Role of Pressure Groups 5. The US-Israel Free Trade Area: The Negotiation Process 5.1. Initial Objectives and Opening Moves 5.2. The Negotiation Process and Subsequent Moves 6. Empirical Analysis 6.1. The Model and the Hypothesis 6.2. The Variables and their Expected Signs 6.3. Empirical Results 7. Summary and Conclusions