ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews and classifies a set of measures to describe, compare and assess different processes of regional integration – e.g. among a group of neighbouring states, or states that have historical or cultural ties, or other links of any other nature – in their various dimensions. We do not refer to groupings of geographic entities within countries (e.g. German Länder or United States (US)). As an example, the term ‘region’ can be applied to the European Union (EU) or Common Market of the South (MERCOSUR) or Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), to name just a few among those discussed in this chapter. Thus, regional integration is opposed to autarchy and isolation. On the other hand, there are diverse types and scopes of regional integration – as well as stages of implementation – that we encounter in this chapter. Moreover, the motivation for undertaking regional integration – i.e. the overarching aim(s) and specific objectives – is fundamental for judging both its status of implementation and perspective. Groups of states can launch a process of regional integration to improve their political links, to reap the gains from trade in goods and services, to strengthen financial links and benefit from risk sharing and better investment opportunities, or a mix of these objectives and more. The motivation of regional integration is beyond the scope of this chapter, i.e. the measures and indices of regional integration discussed here will in any case provide only some selected snapshots. Another aspect that is difficult to capture by means of the measures and indices below is the net benefits from regional integration. Presumably lasting integration schemes are those that fulfil the original aim(s) and objective(s) and whose diverse benefits exceed the various costs.
