This book investigates whether the overlapping regulatory regimes of the WTO, the EU, and NAFTA are converging toward a unified common law of international trade. Joseph Weiler, a prominent scholar in international and European law, utilizes a comparative legal framework to analyze the structural interactions between these three distinct trade systems. He argues that the increasing integration of global markets necessitates a re-evaluation of how disparate legal frameworks influence one another, ultimately proposing that a nascent, shared legal order is beginning to emerge from their coexistence.

Legal scholars and practitioners frequently cite this work as a foundational text for understanding the intersection of regional and global trade regimes. Readers often note the academic density of the prose, which is tailored for those with a background in international law or political science.