Regionalism and Trade Facilitation : A Primer

Maur, Jean-Christophe

World Bank, Washington, DC

关键词: ACCESS ROADS;    ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES;    AIR;    AIR TRAFFIC;    AIR TRANSPORT;   

DOI  :  10.1596/1813-9450-4464
RP-ID  :  WPS4464

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: World Bank Open Knowledge Repository

【 摘 要 】

This paper investigates when tradefacilitation reform should be undertaken at the regionallevel. First, looking at both efficiency and implementationconsiderations, it confirms the perception that the regionaldimension matters. Investigating where efficiency gains canbe made, this research explains why national markets alonefail to produce the full scale economies and positiveexternalities of trade facilitation reform. Second, becausetrade facilitation policies need to address coordination andcapacity failures, and because of the operational complexitychallenge, the choice of the adequate platform fordelivering reform is crucial. The lessons are that regionaltrade agreements offer good prospects of comprehensive andeffective reform and can effectively complement multilateraland national initiatives. However, examples ofimplementation of trade facilitation reform in regionalagreements do not seem to indicate that regional integrationapproaches have been more successful than trade facilitationthrough specific cooperation agreements or other efforts,multilateral or unilateral. Customs unions may be anexception here, and the author suggests reasons why thiscould be the case.