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Trade Facilitation in Services : Concepts and Empirical Importance

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  • Van Der Marel,Erik Leendert
  • Shepherd,Ben

Abstract

This paper examines the concept of trade facilitation in services from the perspective of the recent literature on the determinants of services trade. The aim is to conceptualize trade facilitation in this area as a dimension of international integration beyond the baseline restrictiveness of policy, as captured by indicators of discriminatory market access. The analysis focuses on the role of governance structures, institutions, and transparency in shaping the environment for trading in services internationally. In addition to examining these factors, the paper provides some novel empirical estimates. Using a gravity model, the analysis finds that the ad valorem equivalents of common measures of institutional quality, governance, and transparency are larger relative to measures of sheer policy restrictiveness, frequently a significant multiple. The paper also shows that the ad valorem equivalents of data restrictions are of similar magnitude to policy restrictions in services. The conclusion is that framing discussions of trade facilitation in services around the concept of reducing trade costs -- specifically those stemming from areas where improvement is needed in governance, institutions, and transparency -- could potentially bring significant benefits in increased integration of the global services economy.

Suggested Citation

  • Van Der Marel,Erik Leendert & Shepherd,Ben, 2020. "Trade Facilitation in Services : Concepts and Empirical Importance," Policy Research Working Paper Series 9234, The World Bank.
    • Handle: RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:9234
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Bekkers, Eddy & Lakatos, Csilla & So, Yu Roger & Yuan, Wen Jin & Traverso, Fabio, 2021. "A Global Foreign Direct Investment Stocks Database," Conference papers 333293, Purdue University, Center for Global Trade Analysis, Global Trade Analysis Project.
    2. Smorodinskaya, N. & Katukov, D., 2022. "Russia's opportunities for entering Industry 4.0 markets by improving its position in distributed production," Journal of the New Economic Association, New Economic Association, vol. 53(1), pages 223-231.

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