Regionalism and Governance in Europe and the Middle East: A New Way Forward Search for: National interests are the main reason for expanding economic, political, and even cultural cooperation between countries. Given the current economic trend towards integration and globalization, regional cooperation can play an essential role in countries’ broader presence in the international arena. For several years, more international trade presence has been one of the central transnational policies of economic policymakers. Over the past few decades, the global economy has witnessed huge trade liberalizations in trade, strengthening transnationalism policy among governments. This move, which began with the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade and is now being pursued by the World Trade Organization, has profoundly impacted the global economy.