IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/mie/wpaper/545.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

An Analysis of the U.S.-SACU FTA Negotiations

Author

Listed:
  • Drusilla Brown

    (Tufts University)

  • Kozo Kiyota

    (Yokohama National University and University of Michigan)

  • Robert Stern

    (University of Michigan)

Abstract

This paper analyzes the potential economic effects of bilateral negotiations for an FTA between the United States and the Southern African Customs Union (SACU). The U.S.-SACU FTA bilateral negotiations were initiated in June 2003. But following a number of official meetings, the negotiations were deadlocked over a series of issues of concern to the SACU. The bilateral FTA negotiations have now been replaced by an effort to negotiate a framework agreement covering trade and investment issues and possibly a bilateral FTA at some future time. To determine whether a bilateral FTA might be in the SACU members’ interests, we use the Michigan Model of World Production and Trade to assess the welfare and other economic effects of a bilateral FTA. For modeling purposes, the focus is on the effects of the bilateral removal of trade barriers, which lend themselves most readily to quantification. The conclusion is that the welfare benefits of a bilateral FTA are rather small in both absolute and relative terms, and that the non-trade and dynamic benefits of the SACU FTA are unlikely to alter these results significantly. To provide a broader perspective on the potential economic effects of a U.S.-SACU FTA, the model is also used to calculate the effects of unilateral tariff removal and global free trade. It is shown that unilateral free trade would result in much larger increases in economic welfare for the United States and SACU as compared to the FTA bilateral trade liberalization. The effects of global (multilateral) free trade are shown to be greater for the United States and SACU as compared to both the bilateral FTA liberalization and unilateral tariff removal. The results suggest accordingly that the interests of the global trading community, including the United States and SACU, could be better served by unilateral and especially multilateral liberalization rather than a bilateral FTA.

Suggested Citation

  • Drusilla Brown & Kozo Kiyota & Robert Stern, 2006. "An Analysis of the U.S.-SACU FTA Negotiations," Working Papers 545, Research Seminar in International Economics, University of Michigan.
    • Handle: RePEc:mie:wpaper:545
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://fordschool.umich.edu/rsie/workingpapers/Papers526-550/r545.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Drusilla K. Brown & Robert M. Stern, 2009. "Computable General Equilibrium Estimates of the Gains from US-Canadian Trade Liberalization," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Globalization And International Trade Policies, chapter 13, pages 425-481, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    2. Drusilla K. Brown & Alan V. Deardorff & Robert M. Stern, 2003. "Multilateral, Regional and Bilateral Trade‐Policy Options for the United States and Japan," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(6), pages 803-828, June.
    3. Drusilla K. Brown & Kozo Kiyota & Robert M. Stern, 2006. "Computational Analysis of the Menu of US‐Japan Trade Policies," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(6), pages 805-855, June.
    4. Wolfgang F. Stolper & Paul A. Samuelson, 1941. "Protection and Real Wages," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 9(1), pages 58-73.
    5. Drusilla K. Brown & Alan V. Deardorff & Robert M. Stern, 2001. "CGE Modeling and Analysis of Multilateral and Regional Negotiating Options," Discussion Papers Series, Department of Economics, Tufts University 0108, Department of Economics, Tufts University.
    6. repec:wbk:wbpubs:12425 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. Bernard Hoekman, 2000. "The next round of services negotiations: identifying priorities and options," Review, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, vol. 82(Jul), pages 31-52.
    8. John Whalley & J. Clark Leith, 2003. "Competitive Liberalization and a US-SACU FTA," NBER Working Papers 10168, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    9. World Bank, 2005. "World Development Indicators 2005," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 12426.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Brown, Drusilla K. & Kiyota, Kozo & Stern, Robert M., 2005. "Computational analysis of the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA)," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 16(2), pages 153-185, August.
    2. Brown, Drusilla K. & Kiyota, Kozo & Stern, Robert M., 2008. "An Analysis of a US-Southern African Customs Union (SACU) Free Trade Agreement," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 36(3), pages 461-484, March.
    3. Drusilla K. Brown & Kozo Kiyota & Robert M. Stern, 2006. "Computational Analysis of the Menu of US‐Japan Trade Policies," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(6), pages 805-855, June.
    4. Drusilla K. Brown & Alan V. Deardorff & Robert M. Stern, 2003. "Developing Countries' Stake in the Doha Round," Working Papers 495, Research Seminar in International Economics, University of Michigan.
    5. Drusilla K. Brown & Kozo Kiyota & Robert M. Stern, 2004. "Computational Analysis of the U.S FTA with the Southern African Customs Union (SACU)," Working Papers 514, Research Seminar in International Economics, University of Michigan.
    6. Drusilla K. Brown & Alan V. Deardorff & Robert M. Stern, 2003. "Multilateral, Regional and Bilateral Trade‐Policy Options for the United States and Japan," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(6), pages 803-828, June.
    7. Rivera, Sandra A. & Tsigas, Marinos E., 2005. "How does China’s growth affect India? An Economywide Analysis," Conference papers 331359, Purdue University, Center for Global Trade Analysis, Global Trade Analysis Project.
    8. Drusilla K. Brown & Alan V. Deardorff & Robert M Stern, 2001. "Impacts on NAFTA Members of Multilateral and Regional Trading Arrangements and Initiatives and Harmonization of NAFTA's External Tariffs," Working Papers 471, Research Seminar in International Economics, University of Michigan.
    9. Elisabeth M. Christen & Joseph Francois & Bernard Hoekman, 2012. "CGE Modeling of Market Access in Services," Economics working papers 2012-08, Department of Economics, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Austria.
    10. Drusilla K. Brown & Alan V. Deardorff & Robert M Stern, 2002. "Computational Analysis of Multilateral Trade Liberalization in the Uruguay Round and Doha Development Round," Working Papers 489, Research Seminar in International Economics, University of Michigan.
    11. Piermartini, Roberta & Teh, Robert, 2005. "Demystifying modelling methods for trade policy," WTO Discussion Papers 10, World Trade Organization (WTO), Economic Research and Statistics Division.
    12. Levkovych, Inna, 2011. "Der ukrainische Außenhandel mit Produkten der Agrar- und Ernährungswirtschaft: Eine quantitative Analyse aus Sicht traditioneller und neuer Außenhandelstheorien," Studies on the Agricultural and Food Sector in Transition Economies, Leibniz Institute of Agricultural Development in Transition Economies (IAMO), volume 59, number 109520.
    13. Rajesh Chadha & Devender Pratap, 2007. "Titanic FTAs," Margin: The Journal of Applied Economic Research, National Council of Applied Economic Research, vol. 1(1), pages 23-45, March.
    14. Cicowiez, Martin & Flôres, Renato & Watanuki, Masakazu, 2005. "Trade and Integration Policy Analyses for Mercosur: Methodologies of the CGE Modeling with Economies of Scale and Imperfect Competition," Conference papers 331412, Purdue University, Center for Global Trade Analysis, Global Trade Analysis Project.
    15. Siebert, Horst, 2005. "TAFTA - a dead horse or an attractive open club?," Kiel Working Papers 1240, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    16. Drusilla K. Brown & Alan V. Deardorff & Robert M Stern, 2001. "CGE Modeling and Analysis of Multilateral and Regional Negotiating Options," Working Papers 468, Research Seminar in International Economics, University of Michigan.
    17. Wagle, Udaya R., 2007. "Are Economic Liberalization and Equality Compatible? Evidence from South Asia," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 35(11), pages 1836-1857, November.
    18. Stephen Dobson & Carlyn Ramlogan, 2009. "Is There an Openness Kuznets Curve?," Kyklos, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 62(2), pages 226-238, April.
    19. Kozo Kiyota & Robert M. Stern, 2007. "Economic Effects of a Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement," Working Papers 557, Research Seminar in International Economics, University of Michigan.
    20. Dani Rodrik, 2018. "Populism and the economics of globalization," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 1(1), pages 12-33, June.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:mie:wpaper:545. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: FSPP Webmaster (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/riumius.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.