Albania : Trade Impact of CEFTA

World Bank Group

World Bank, Washington, DC

关键词: FREE TRADE AGREEMENT;    TRADE IMPACT;    FREE TRADE AREA;    TRADE LIBERALIZATION;    SERVICES TRADE;   

RP-ID  :  134055

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: World Bank Open Knowledge Repository

【 摘 要 】

Regional free trade agreements (FTAs)have a sizable effect on exports and foster economic growth.While reducing tariffs in member countries, regional FTAsharmonize trade policy across regions and reduce regulationuncertainty for exporters. They are particularly importantfor supporting trade in isolated countries such as Albania,a transition economy in the Western Balkans. This policynote looks at the impact of membership in the CentralEuropean Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA) on Albania'sexport growth. It finds that Albanian exports to CEFTAmembers have grown much faster than its exports to othercountries. A large share of this growth is contributed byfirms that did not export to CEFTA countries previously andvia new exports that were among the least traded to CEFTAcountries. We also measure the impact of CEFTA on Albanianexports using a gravity equation, which finds that CEFTAincreased Albanian exports to member countries between 34percent and 144 percent.