This project has been funded with support from the European Commission (226388-cp-1-2005-1-de-comenius-c21). This publication reflects the views only of the authors

5. Regulating Globalization and Internationalization

The acceleration of globalization in the post-2^nd World War period is the result of the plans of economists, businessmen and politicians that recognized the negative effects of protectionism and poor international economic integration. The effects of these people resulted in the Conference of Bretton Woods and the foundation of various institutions aiming the promotion of growth and the management of negative effects and the globalization process. These institutions are the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (World Bank-WB) and the IMF. Thereafter General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs (GATT) was signed in order to eliminate the barriers for international trade. In the Uruguay Round (1984-1995) the WTO was established for the solution of commercial disputes and for the construction of a standard platform for trade. Besides many bi- or multi-lateral trade treaties such as the Maastricht Treaty and the NAFTA has been signed whose aims are to decrease tariffs and eliminate trade barriers.
There are certain factors that accelerate and widen the domain of globalization. These are:

1. 
   Huge international organizations that desire to affect and if possible control the politic developments in the world; e.g. the United Nations,
   
2. 
   International pacts – large scale treaties covering many countries; e.g. the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO),
   
3. 
   Transnational economic associations that are large scaled and have many members; e.g. the European Union, the North American Association, the Black Sea Economic Cooperation,
   
4. 
   MNCs that operate in more than one country and are business, manufacture and trade centers, banks and corporations,
   
5. 
   Certain socio-politic movements that are called international trends and affect almost continents, countries and people deeply; e.g. ethnic nationalism, fundamentalism, feminism, ecologic movements.
   

With the light of these developments and factors, the international organizations and integrations have emerged. These institutions and agreements are crucial as they manage or direct the process of globalization.