Beyond the Information Technology Agreement : Harmonization of Standards and Trade in Electronics
Product standards can have a dual impact on production and trade costs. Standards may impose additional costs on exporters as it may be necessary to adapt products for specific markets (cost-effect). In contrast, standards can reduce exporters'...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2012
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/main?menuPK=64187510&pagePK=64193027&piPK=64187937&theSitePK=523679&menuPK=64187510&searchMenuPK=64187283&siteName=WDS&entityID=000158349_20090428084810 http://hdl.handle.net/10986/4107 |
| Summary: | Product standards can have a dual impact
on production and trade costs. Standards may impose
additional costs on exporters as it may be necessary to
adapt products for specific markets (cost-effect). In
contrast, standards can reduce exporters' information
costs if they convey information on industrial requirements
or consumer tastes that would be costly to collect in the
absence of standards (informational-effect). Using a new
World Bank database of European standards for electronic
products, the authors examine the impact of
internationally-harmonized European standards on European
Union imports. They find that European Union standards for
electronic products that are harmonized to international
standards have a positive and significant effect on trade.
The results suggest that efforts to promote trade in
electronic products could be complemented by steps to
promote standards harmonization. This might include, for
example, re-starting talks to extend the Information
Technology Agreement to non-tariff measures and commitments
to harmonize national standards in electronic products. |
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