Assessing the Economic Impact of the ECOWAS CET and Economic Partnership Agreement on Ghana

World Bank Group

World Bank, Washington, DC

关键词: TARIFFS;    EXPORT MARKETS;    SUBSTITUTION;    TARIFF RATES;    TARIFF PROTECTION;   

RP-ID  :  100888

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: World Bank Open Knowledge Repository

【 摘 要 】

Ghana is currently facing two majortrade policy adjustments - the economic community of WestAfrican states (ECOWAS) common external tariff (CET) is asignificant milestone within the long history of regionalintegration in West Africa. In addition to the CET, Ghanafaces the economic partnership agreement (EPA) with theEuropean Union, which has been designed to build on the CETin West Africa. This study aims to enhance the debate bypresenting an intuitive and data-driven technicalperspective on the likely effects of the CET and the EPA.The study seeks to improve the information available topolicy makers in Ghana. This is highly relevant, as the CETcurrently awaits parliamentary approval and the EPA willsoon also require ratification. The study also aims toexpand the information with which policy makers can developaccompanying policies to support and derive maximum benefitfrom the CET and EPA trade reforms. The first stage of thestudy employs the trade reform impact simulation tool(TRIST), which was developed by the World Bank. The studyuses the finalized CET and EPA tariff schedules at the mostdetailed (10-digit) tariff line level, and 2013 customsexcise and preventive service (CEPS) data on imports,exemption rates, tariff revenue, value-added tax (VAT), andnational health insurance levy (NHIL) revenue, excise duty,and the over-age penalty for vehicles. The report presentsthe results for six scenarios: (1) the effect of the CETonly, which is to be implemented before the end of 2015; theeffect of each stage of the EPA implemented on top of theCET, (2) CET + EPA2020, (3) CET + EPA2025, (4) CET +EPA2030, (5) CET + EPA2035, and (6) the net effect of theEPA, where the EPA is implemented from a baseline where theCET is already in place (EPA2035 from CET). The study isstructured as follows: section one gives introduction.Section two summarizes the market access content of the CETand EPA. Section three analyzes the effects of each reformon revenues and imports, section four looks at the effectson consumers, and section five examines the effects onfirms’ competitiveness and jobs. Section six looks atpotential accompanying measures and section seven concludes.