Hidden Protectionism? Evidence from Non-tariff Barriers to Trade in the United States

Christoph Moser () and Robert Grundke

No 14-369, KOF Working papers from KOF Swiss Economic Institute, ETH Zurich

Abstract: Are product standards protectionism in disguise? This paper estimates the costs of non- compliance with U.S. product standards, using a new database on U.S. import refusals from 2002 to 2012. We find that import refusals significantly decrease exports to the United States. This trade reducing effect is driven by developing countries and by refusals without any product sample analysis, in particular during the Subprime Crisis and its aftermath. This empirical result is consistent with (but does not prove) the existence of counter-cyclical, hidden protectionism due to non-tariff barriers to trade in the United States.

Keywords: Hidden protectionism; International trade; Developing countries; Import refusals; Regulatory costs; Disaggregated; United States (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 43 pages
Date: 2014-12
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 (11)

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http://dx.doi.org/10.3929/ethz-a-010362127 (application/pdf)

Related works:
Journal Article: Hidden protectionism? Evidence from non-tariff barriers to trade in the United States (2019)
Working Paper: Hidden Protectionism? Evidence from Non-tariff Barriers to Trade in the United States (2016)
Working Paper: Hidden Protectionism? Evidence from Non-tariff Barriers to Trade in the United States (2014)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:kof:wpskof:14-369

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