Latin America and the Caribbean in the World Economy 2006. Trends 2007

DEVELOPMENTS IN THE INTERNATIONAL ECONOMY AND THEIR CONSEQUENCES FOR LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN Chapter I contains an analysis of recent trends in the economies of the United States, the European Union and Japan as well as a number of emerging Asian economies. The determinants of the imbalances existing among these economies are examined, and the role of these disequilibria as the principal risk factor in what nonetheless remains a positive global environment is considered. Factors influencing the trade performance of Latin America and the Caribbean are discussed, as are the region's trade results and outlook in 2006 and 2007. The chapter concludes with an analysis of the difficult negotiation process being pursued in the Doha Round and how it has been affected by changes in United States trade policy.