Trade Facilitation and Economic Development - Inmetro.pdfVIP

psas POLICY RESEARCH WORKING PAPER 298 8 Trade Facilitation and Economic Development Measuring the Impact John S. Wilson CatherineL. Mann Tsunehiro Otsuki The World Bank Development Research Group Trade March 2003 POLIcy RESEARCH WORKING PAPER 2988 Abstract Wilson, Mann, and Otsuki analyze the relationship the effect of ports or regulations. The authors then between trade facilitation, trade flows, and GDP per estimate the benefits of specific trade facilitation efforts capita in the Asia-Pacific region for the goods sector. by quantifying differential improvement by members of They define and measure trade facilitation using four the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in these broad indicators. These are constructed using country- four areas. Based on a scenario in which APEC members specific data for port efficiency, customs environment, below average improve capacity halfway to the average regulatory environment, and electronic-business usage. for all members, the authors find that intra-APEC trade They estimate the relationship between these indicators could increase by $254 billion. This represents and trade flows using a gravity model. The model approximately a 21 percent increase in intra-APEC trade includes tariffs and other standard variables. flows, about half coming from improved port efficiencies The authors find