Trade Policy and Labor Services: Final Status Options for the West Bank and Gaza

Maurice Schiff

No 1029, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: This paper considers the policy options of the West Bank and Gaza (WBG) with respect to trade and the exports of labor services. It concludes that i) a non-discriminatory trade policy (NDTP) is unambiguously superior to an FTA with Israel; ii) the WBG should pursue a NDTP with all its neighbors, but only under the condition that the trade policy be open, transparent, and enforced by a credible lock-in mechanism; otherwise, a CU with Israel may be preferable; iii) the PA should establish a system of fee-based permits for Palestinian labor working in Israel, and iv) the PA should consider allowing access by Jordanian workers to the WBG labor market.

Keywords: labor services; free trade agreement; customs union; unilateral liberalization; West Bank and Gaza (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: F10 F15 F16 J30 J61 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 39 pages
Date: 2004-02
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Published - published in: Journal of Economic Integration, 2003, 18 (1), 60 - 104

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Working Paper: Trade policy and labor services: final status options for the West Bank and Gaza (2002)
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