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The Evolution of Non-Tariff Measures and their Diverse Effects on Trade

Author

Listed:
  • Mahdi Ghodsi

    (The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, wiiw)

  • Julia Grübler
  • Oliver Reiter

    (The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, wiiw)

  • Robert Stehrer

    (The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, wiiw)

Abstract

The global trade slowdown and the public resistance against attempts to stimulate trade through mega-regional trade deals are placing the role of non-tariff measures (NTMs) in the limelight of public discussions. In this paper, we examine the question how different types of non-tariff measures affected global trade during the period 1995-2014. We use information on NTMs notified to the WTO from the Integrated Trade Intelligence Portal (I-TIP), which allows us to differentiate between various NTM types, including technical barriers to trade (TBTs) and sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures. The two main contributions of this work are the amendment of the I-TIP database to suit econometric analysis and the estimation of trade effects of NTMs at the HS 6-digit product level for more than 100 countries with a gravity approach. Roughly 60% of all estimates point towards a trade-impeding effect of NTMs. Aggregates by NTM-imposing countries and targeted products suggest that the positive effect on the demand side compensates the negative impact on the surging costs of the supply side for SPS measures. TBTs overall appear to be trade-impeding, in particular for high-income countries in Europe and Central Asia.

Suggested Citation

  • Mahdi Ghodsi & Julia Grübler & Oliver Reiter & Robert Stehrer, 2017. "The Evolution of Non-Tariff Measures and their Diverse Effects on Trade," wiiw Research Reports 419, The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, wiiw.
    • Handle: RePEc:wii:rpaper:rr:419
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    non-tariff measures; trade barriers; global trade; trade elasticity; gravity model; I-TIP;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F13 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Trade Policy; International Trade Organizations
    • F14 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Empirical Studies of Trade

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