International agreements frequently reuse standardized text, or 'boilerplate,' alongside tailored provisions. This study examines the determinants of such practice using original data from 348 preferential trade agreements (PTAs) spanning 1989-2009. Through novel text analysis and Latent Order Logistic Graph technique approaches, we reveal that boilerplate is employed primarily for efficiency purposes rather than purely distributive concerns.
| Boilerplate in International Trade Agreements was authored by Claire Peacock, Karolina Milewicz and Duncan Snidal. It was published by Oxford in ISQ in 2019. |
