The Origin of Goods
Rules of Origin in Regional Trade Agreements
Published on 23. February 2006
Book
Hardback
352 pages
978-0-19-929048-2 (ISBN)
Description
The dark side of preferential trade agreements, Rules of Origin (RoO) are used to determine the eligibility of goods to preferential treatment. Ostensibly meant to prevent the trans-shipment of imported products across Free Trade Agreement borders after superficial screwdriver assembly, they act in reality as complex and opaque trade barriers. This book provides evidence strongly suggesting that they do so by intent rather than accidentally---in other words, that RoOs are policy.
Part one draws insights about the effects of RoOs on cross-border trade and outsourcing from recent economic theory. Part two reviews the evidence on RoOs in preferential agreements around the world, putting together the most comprehensive dataset on RoOs to date. Part three explores their "political economy"---how special interests have shaped them and continue to do so. Part four provides econometric evidence on their costs for exporters and consequent effects on trade flows. Finally, part five explores how they affect trade in the developing world where they spread rapidly and have the potential to do most harm.
Beyond the collection of new evidence and its interpretation in light of recent theory, the book's overall message for the policy community is that RoOs are a potentially powerful and new barrier to trade. Rather than being relegated to closed-door technical meetings, their design should hold center-stage in trade negotiations.
Part one draws insights about the effects of RoOs on cross-border trade and outsourcing from recent economic theory. Part two reviews the evidence on RoOs in preferential agreements around the world, putting together the most comprehensive dataset on RoOs to date. Part three explores their "political economy"---how special interests have shaped them and continue to do so. Part four provides econometric evidence on their costs for exporters and consequent effects on trade flows. Finally, part five explores how they affect trade in the developing world where they spread rapidly and have the potential to do most harm.
Beyond the collection of new evidence and its interpretation in light of recent theory, the book's overall message for the policy community is that RoOs are a potentially powerful and new barrier to trade. Rather than being relegated to closed-door technical meetings, their design should hold center-stage in trade negotiations.
Reviews / Votes
`Review from previous edition One cannot understand today's multilateral trading system without understanding its web of Preferential Trade Agreements. And one cannot understand these agreements without understanding their Rules of Origin. This collection of original theoretical and empirical papers sheds considerable light on what may well be the most important instrument of trade policy of our times.'
Gene Grossman, Professor of Economics, Princeton University `Rules of origin are among the least understood and most important elements of free trade agreements. This well organized study presents both a technical and political analysis of their uses and impacts and is a "must read" for anyone responsible for developing, negotiating, or implementing these rules.
'
Carla A. Hills, Former US Trade Representative `This book by some of the world's leading experts in the field is a state-of-the-art analysis of a complex and oft-neglected aspect of trade policy. With the growth of regionalism, rules of origin become more significant by the day, yet remain poorly understood. The present work goes a long way in remedying this deficiency. It comprises an enticing blend of economic theory and empirical study, together with political economy and development analysis.
'
Patrick Low, Director of Economic Research and Statistics, WTO Secretariat
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Oxford
United Kingdom
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Academics, members of the trade policy community, and international organizations.
Illustrations
Numerous tables and figures
Dimensions
Height: 240 mm
Width: 161 mm
Thickness: 23 mm
Weight
687 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-19-929048-2 (9780199290482)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Olivier Cadot is Professor of Economics at the University of Lausanne and Director of the Institut d? Economie Appliquee (Crea). He was previously Associate Professor at INSEAD and has held visiting positions at UCLA and McGill. He holds a Ph.D in Economics from Princeton University and a Master? s in Economic History from McGill University. He is a fellow of the CEPR and an associate scholar of the CERDI and CEPREMAP. He also serves on the editorial board of the Revue d? Economie du Developpement.
Thierry Verdier is Director of DELTA, Senior Civil Engineer and Research Director at the Institute for Advanced Studies in Social Sciences (Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales, EHESS) in Paris. He is also the Co-director of the International Trade Programme at the Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR), London. His master and doctoral degrees were received from Ecole Polytechnique, Ecole des Ponts et Chaussees and EHESS.
Antoni Estevadeordal is a Principal Trade Economist and Research Coordinator at the Integration, Trade and Hemispheric Issues Division of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). Before joining the IDB he taught at the University of Barcelona and Harvard University. He has published widely in major journals, most recently in American Economic Review, Quarterly Journal of Economics, Review of International Economics, Journal of Economic Integration, Economia and the Journal of World Trade. He holds a PhD and MA in Economics from Harvard University and a BA in Economics from the University of Barcelona.
Akiko Suwa-Eisenmann is an Economist at INRA, National Institute for Agricultural Research, France. She is Director of Laboratoire d'Economie Appliquee, on the Paris-Jourdan campus. She teaches Development Economics at the Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales PhD programme and ENSAE, Paris. Her graduate and doctoral degrees were received from Ecole Normale Superieure and EHESS. She worked as a consultant for the World Bank and the OECD Development Centre.
Thierry Verdier is Director of DELTA, Senior Civil Engineer and Research Director at the Institute for Advanced Studies in Social Sciences (Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales, EHESS) in Paris. He is also the Co-director of the International Trade Programme at the Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR), London. His master and doctoral degrees were received from Ecole Polytechnique, Ecole des Ponts et Chaussees and EHESS.
Antoni Estevadeordal is a Principal Trade Economist and Research Coordinator at the Integration, Trade and Hemispheric Issues Division of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). Before joining the IDB he taught at the University of Barcelona and Harvard University. He has published widely in major journals, most recently in American Economic Review, Quarterly Journal of Economics, Review of International Economics, Journal of Economic Integration, Economia and the Journal of World Trade. He holds a PhD and MA in Economics from Harvard University and a BA in Economics from the University of Barcelona.
Akiko Suwa-Eisenmann is an Economist at INRA, National Institute for Agricultural Research, France. She is Director of Laboratoire d'Economie Appliquee, on the Paris-Jourdan campus. She teaches Development Economics at the Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales PhD programme and ENSAE, Paris. Her graduate and doctoral degrees were received from Ecole Normale Superieure and EHESS. She worked as a consultant for the World Bank and the OECD Development Centre.
Content
RULES OF ORIGIN: THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES; RULES OF ORIGIN IN REGIONAL TRADE AGREEMENTS AROUND THE WORLD; THE POLITICAL ECONOMY OF RULES OF ORIGIN; MEASURING THE IMPACT OF RULES OF ORIGIN; RULES OF ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT