Regional Economic Integration and Turkey

International trade has become increasingly regionalized over the last several decades. As the regional trading blocs emerged, a substantial portion of international trade became subject to Regional Economic Integration Projects (REIPs). It is estimated that more than two-thirds of world trade today is accounted for by the REIPs. This book evaluates the experiences of some REIPs and aims at providing insights on the lessons to be taken from their experiences. Turkey is a rising star of the greater Middle East region. It has been going through a radical economic and political transformation process since early 1980s. Zero-problem with neighbors vision in international relations and economic policy reforms combined with political and economic stability in the 2000s contributed to the emergence of Turkey as a focus of attention. OIC and Turkey are in search of greater openness and cooperation in recent years. Regional integration and Turkey would be a valuable guide for analysts, academics, researchers, students as well as policy makers of the developing countries' seeking to rip of the benefits of REIPs.