Maur, Jean-Christophe
Regionalism and Trade Facilitation A Primer / Maur, Jean-Christophe [electronic resource] : Maur, Jean-Christophe - Washington, D.C., The World Bank, 2008 - 1 online resource (40 p.) - Policy research working papers. World Bank e-Library. .
This paper investigates when trade facilitation reform should be undertaken at the regional level. First, looking at both efficiency and implementation considerations, it confirms the perception that the regional dimension matters. Investigating where efficiency gains can be made, this research explains why national markets alone fail to produce the full scale economies and positive externalities of trade facilitation reform. Second, because trade facilitation policies need to address coordination and capacity failures, and because of the operational complexity challenge, the choice of the adequate platform for delivering reform is crucial. The lessons are that regional trade agreements offer good prospects of comprehensive and effective reform and can effectively complement multilateral and national initiatives. However, examples of implementation of trade facilitation reform in regional agreements do not seem to indicate that regional integration approaches have been more successful than trade facilitation through specific cooperation agreements or other efforts, multilateral or unilateral. Customs unions may be an exception here, and the author suggests reasons why this could be the case.
10.1596/1813-9450-4464
Border Crossing
Economies of Scale
Electronic Customs
Externalities
Free Trade
Inspection
International Economics & Trade
Law and Development
Public Sector Development
Rail
Road
Trade and Regional Integration
Trade Law
Trade Policy
Transit
Transport
Transport Economics, Policy and Planning
Trucks
Regionalism and Trade Facilitation A Primer / Maur, Jean-Christophe [electronic resource] : Maur, Jean-Christophe - Washington, D.C., The World Bank, 2008 - 1 online resource (40 p.) - Policy research working papers. World Bank e-Library. .
This paper investigates when trade facilitation reform should be undertaken at the regional level. First, looking at both efficiency and implementation considerations, it confirms the perception that the regional dimension matters. Investigating where efficiency gains can be made, this research explains why national markets alone fail to produce the full scale economies and positive externalities of trade facilitation reform. Second, because trade facilitation policies need to address coordination and capacity failures, and because of the operational complexity challenge, the choice of the adequate platform for delivering reform is crucial. The lessons are that regional trade agreements offer good prospects of comprehensive and effective reform and can effectively complement multilateral and national initiatives. However, examples of implementation of trade facilitation reform in regional agreements do not seem to indicate that regional integration approaches have been more successful than trade facilitation through specific cooperation agreements or other efforts, multilateral or unilateral. Customs unions may be an exception here, and the author suggests reasons why this could be the case.
10.1596/1813-9450-4464
Border Crossing
Economies of Scale
Electronic Customs
Externalities
Free Trade
Inspection
International Economics & Trade
Law and Development
Public Sector Development
Rail
Road
Trade and Regional Integration
Trade Law
Trade Policy
Transit
Transport
Transport Economics, Policy and Planning
Trucks