This text deals with commodity price stabilization and explores the contemporary changes in global trade agreements and their relationships to the ongoing changes in international and regional trade structures and economic integration. It takes a wholistic, interdisciplinary approach including economic, legal and political aspects and examines the EC and NAFTA as important trade blocs, and their impact on global economies. It investigates the Chinese approach to trade management, the oil price stablilisation policies, and seabed minerals. The book also includes a discussion of discrimination in international trade. The interdisciplinary nature of the book is given prominence through the layout of the various parts. Part 1 examines the legal issues of commodity trade, investigating the debate over whether international trade agreements create "hard law" or "soft law". Part 2 discusses the political economy of contemporary global trade issues, including the rise of intra-industry trade and discrimination in international trade. Part 3 addresses the recent trend towards regionalism and trade blocs, focusing on the EC and NAFTA and their economic implications. Finally, part 4 presents the issues of commodity trade stabilisation for minerals and oil, including both land-based and seabed commodities.