Non-Tariff Measures, Specific Trade Concerns and Tariff Reduction

Gianluca Orefice

Working Papers from CEPII research center

Abstract: This paper studies the determinants of the recent proliferation of Specific Trade Concerns raised at the WTO on Non-tariff Trade Measures (NTMs), with a focus on Sanitary and Phyto Sanitary (SPS) and Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT). Even thought NTMs are de jure imposed to protect consumers from unhealthy products, they de facto increase trade costs. So, when tariff protection lowers, NTMs become effective barriers to trade and the exporting countries can complain at the dedicated committee at the WTO (STCs). Therefore we study whether STCs are raised by exporting countries as a consequence of tariff reductions in importing countries, i.e. when non-tariff measures become barriers to trade. Using a recent database on STCs over the period 1996-2010, we find empirical evidence that SPS and TBT concerns are raised by exporting country as a consequence of importer’s tariff cut.

Keywords: International Trade; Tariffs; Non-tariff Measures; Specific Trade Concerns (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: F13 F14 F53 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015-12
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-int
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (9)

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Journal Article: Non-Tariff Measures, Specific Trade Concerns and Tariff Reduction (2017)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:cii:cepidt:2015-30

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