Trade Facilitation and Economic Development : New Approach to Quantifying the Impact
This article analyzes the relationship between trade facilitation and trade flows in the Asia Pacific region. Country specific data for port efficiency, customs environment, regulatory environment, and e-business usage are used to construct indicat...
Main Authors: | , , |
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Language: | English en_US |
Published: |
Washington, DC: World Bank
2014
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Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2003/09/17742628/trade-facilitation-economic-development-new-approach-quantifying-impact http://hdl.handle.net/10986/17183 |
Summary: | This article analyzes the relationship
between trade facilitation and trade flows in the Asia
Pacific region. Country specific data for port efficiency,
customs environment, regulatory environment, and e-business
usage are used to construct indicators for measuring trade
facilitation. The relationship between these indicators and
trade flows is estimated using a gravity model that includes
tariffs and other standard variables. Enhanced port
efficiency has a large and positive effect on trade flows.
Regulatory barriers deter trade. Improvements in customs and
greater e-business use significantly expand trade but to a
lesser degree than improvements in ports or regulations. The
benefits of specific trade facilitation efforts are
estimated by quantifying differential improvements in these
four areas among members of the Asia Pacific Economic
Cooperation (APEC). A scenario in which APEC members with
below-average indicators improve capacity halfway to the
average forall members shows that intra-APEC trade could
increase by Dollar 254 billion, or 21 percent of intra-APEC
trade flows. |
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