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Traders, courts, and the border effect puzzle

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  • Turrini, Alessandro
  • van Ypersele, Tanguy

Abstract

Although there is mounting empirical evidence that the mere presence of borders contribute to reduce trade significantly, there is no firm view on what are the reasons underlying this phenomenon. This paper investigates the role played by asymmetries in judicial systems in driving the "border effect". First, we provide evidence that differences in the judicial system matter for the volume of trade flows. Variables capturing the extent of asymmetries in the procedures to settle trade litigations perform significantly in estimation both across OECD countries and across French regions. Second, we develop a matching model of trade showing that such asymetries in the legal system fragment trade through a mechanism which is essentially different compared with that of transport costs or formal trade barriers.

Suggested Citation

  • Turrini, Alessandro & van Ypersele, Tanguy, 2010. "Traders, courts, and the border effect puzzle," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 40(2-3), pages 81-91, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:regeco:v:40:y:2010:i:2-3:p:81-91
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    Cited by:

    1. Marta Santamaría & Jaume Ventura & Uğur Yeşilbayraktar, 2020. "Borders within Europe," Economics Working Papers 1763, Department of Economics and Business, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, revised Feb 2024.
    2. Araujo, Luis & Mion, Giordano & Ornelas, Emanuel, 2016. "Institutions and export dynamics," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 98(C), pages 2-20.
    3. Heyman Fredrik & Tingvall Patrik Gustavsson, 2015. "The Dynamics of Offshoring and Institutions," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 15(4), pages 1975-2016, October.
    4. Bogdan Radu, 2020. "Efforts in Harmonizing Contract Law: Some Considerations Regarding European Sale of Goods," Proceedings of the 17th International RAIS Conference, June 1-2, 2020 014rb, Research Association for Interdisciplinary Studies.
    5. Getachew Magnar Kitila & Fuzhong Chen, 2021. "Multilateral Trade Resistance, International Competitiveness and African International Exports: A Network Perspective," International Journal of Science and Business, IJSAB International, vol. 5(10), pages 111-126.
    6. Benny Geys & Steffen Osterloh, 2013. "Borders As Boundaries To Fiscal Policy Interactions? An Empirical Analysis Of Politicians’ Opinions On Rivals In The Competition For Firms," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 53(4), pages 583-606, October.
    7. Carlos Alberto Goncalves & Ricardo Luis Lopes & Cristiano Stamm, 2022. "The potential impact of products seized on the western border of Paraná on the Brazilian economy," Regional Science Policy & Practice, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 14(6), pages 292-307, December.
    8. Bengt Söderlund & Patrik Tingvall, 2014. "Dynamic effects of institutions on firm-level exports," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 150(2), pages 277-308, May.
    9. Gislain Stéphane Gandjon Fankem, 2016. "Les déterminants du faible degré d'intégration commerciale de la CEEAC: le poids de la fragmentation politique, de la prolifération des Communautés Economiques Régionales et du niveau de démocr," African Development Review, African Development Bank, vol. 28(4), pages 383-396, December.
    10. Santamaria, Marta & Ventura, Jaume & Yesilbayraktar, Ugur, 2021. "Borders within Europe," CAGE Online Working Paper Series 560, Competitive Advantage in the Global Economy (CAGE).
    11. Garmendia, Aitor & Llano, Carlos & Minondo, Asier & Requena, Francisco, 2012. "Networks and the disappearance of the intranational home bias," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 116(2), pages 178-182.
    12. Neumannová Michaela & Pařil Vilém & Hrůza Filip & Jakubčinová Martina & Farbiak Martin, 2023. "Regional and local border effects after two decades of Central European unification. What matters?," Miscellanea Geographica. Regional Studies on Development, Sciendo, vol. 27(2), pages 41-51, April.
    13. Coronel, Yeisson, 2016. "La unificación del derecho privado europeo y las transacciones jurídico-mercantiles transfronterizas [The unification of European private law and the cross-border legal-mercantile transactions]," MPRA Paper 80212, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    14. Marta Santamaría & Jaume Ventura & Ugur Yesilbayraktar, 2020. "Borders within Europe," Working Papers 1229, Barcelona School of Economics.
    15. Santamaría, Marta & Ventura, Jaume & Yesilbayraktar, Ugur, 2021. "Borders within Europe," The Warwick Economics Research Paper Series (TWERPS) 1355, University of Warwick, Department of Economics.
    16. Ventura, Jaume & Santamaria, Marta & YeÅŸilbayraktar, UÄŸur, 2021. "Borders within Europe," CEPR Discussion Papers 15633, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.

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