Revista de Economie Mondiala/ Journal of Global Economics

1-27

Authors: Agnes Ghibutiu

Over the last decade, members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) have increasingly resorted to preferential trade agreements (PTAs) as a means to further the market-opening and rule-making agenda. Particularly visible is this trend since 2013, with numerous new PTA negotiations being launched, including by WTO members accounting for substantial shares of world GDP and trade. The paper discusses the recent surge in trade regionalism through the lens of the multilateral trading system governed by the WTO. It aims to highlight the systemic as well as economic and geopolitical factors that are driving the new PTAs, and also distil their potential effects upon the world trading system. According to its findings, the fresh impetus to regionalism should be seen as a shift in focus rather than a fundamental course change in the evolution of the regional agenda, and the factors underlying this shift should be sought in the structural transformations that have marked the WTO in the context of the changing global political and economic environment.

46-64

Authors: Papatulică Mariana

The tense political context created by the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, and the security risks entailed to the transport routes from the Caspian Sea to Europe, represented an increasing threat to EU security of energy /gas supply . Dependence on a small number of suppliers, some of them dominant or uncertain, such as Russia, made EU vulnerable to “divisive” tactics and threats of blocking energy supply routes. More than half of the gas consumed in the EU comes from third countries and more than 1/3 from Russia. But Europe is well positioned geographically to benefit from the important changes looming in the coming years, in the changing configuration of gas flows worldwide. After the identification and extensive exploitation of shale gas in the United States, mankind faces a potential surplus of natural gas that needs, however, an adequate infrastructure to reach the consumers and erode market dominance of traditional exporters, headed by Russia.

82-95

Authors: Răzvan Voinescu, Manuela Unguru

The aim of this article is to highlight the determinants of economic competitiveness that could simultaneously support long-term economic convergence and to identify necessary adjustments for public policies that would help achieve this objective. The analysis suggests that the Romanian public policies should focus on those objectives that enhances sectoral objectives, namely: i) strengthening macroeconomic outlook and improving the quality of public management; ii) sustainable development of human capital through education and training; iii) improving the quality of business environment.

109-123

Authors: Alina Ligia Dumitrescu, Lucia Iordache

In the past ten years since joining the European Union, Poland recorded not only economic growth, but economic performance and social development. Poland got both production and consumption on a sustainable basis over the last ten years and was the only EU member state that successfully managed to avoid recession. In 2010, according to the Statistical Office of Poland, it was recorded a steady growth rate of 3.9%, one of the best results in the EU, compared to the average of 2%. Growth is expected to remain over 3% in the period 2015-2016, supported by solid domestic demand, an improvement in the labor market, the increase in real disposable income and not least by a strong investment activity. The article examines the pillars of economic growth, with the main objective to highlight how this member state managed to achieve a sustainable economic growth and a good performance in attracting EU funds.

141-155

Authors: Simona Zamșa

The article presents synthetically the sugar market outlook for 2014 – agricultural seasons 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 – highlighting the main factors influencing 2014 and 2015 sugar prices evolution. We also present the role of main actors on the world sugar market (major sugar exporting and producing countries 2014). On the basis of the analysis of refined sugar stock prices at London (Stock) Exchange, we conclude that, in 2014, (a) sugar prices dropped compared to those recorded in 2013, and (b) the price volatility decreased in relation to previous years. The downward trend of sugar prices was maintained in 2015