Size Inequality, Coordination Externalities and International Trade Agreements

Nuno Limão and Kamal Saggi ()

No 17603, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc

Abstract: Developing countries now account for a significant fraction of both world trade and two thirds of the membership of the World Trade Organization (WTO). However, many are still individually small and thus have a limited ability to bilaterally extract and enforce trade concessions from larger developed economies even though as a group they would be able to do so. We show that this coordination externality generates asymmetric outcomes under agreements that rely on bilateral threats of trade retaliation. such as the WTO. but not under agreements extended to include certain financial instruments. In particular, we find that an extended agreement generates improvements in global efficiency and equity if it Includes the exchange of bonds prior to trading but not if it relies solely on ex-post fines. Moreover, a combination of bonds and fines generates similar improvements even if small countries are subject to financial constraints that prevent them from posting bonds.

JEL-codes: F13 F42 K33 O1 O24 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2011-11
Note: ITI
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

Published as Limão, Nuno & Saggi, Kamal, 2013. "Size inequality, coordination externalities and international trade agreements," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 10-27.

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Related works:
Chapter: Size inequality, coordination externalities and international trade agreements (2018)
Chapter: Size inequality, coordination externalities and international trade agreements (2018)
Journal Article: Size inequality, coordination externalities and international trade agreements (2013)
Working Paper: Size Inequality, Coordination Externalities and International Trade Agreements (2013)
Working Paper: Size Inequality, Coordination Externalities and International Trade Agreements (2011)
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