Overview
International trade has grown rapidly in recent years, thanks in part to the progressive reduction of tariffs and quotas through successive rounds of multilateral trade liberalisation. However, this progress brings to light one of the remaining weak links of international trade, which prevents countries from drawing full benefits from the advantages of open global markets: border bottlenecks generated by inefficient, outdated and complex trade procedures and formalities. Governments and businesses alike express growing concerns about the cost of those bottlenecks on public resources, productive inputs and consumer goods. To what extent and in which ways do the costs of inefficient border processes influence trade and investment flows, productivity, export competitiveness, poverty reduction, and regional integration efforts? How do institutional and political factors affect the design and implementation of efficiency-enhancing measures? Are the expected benefits of these measures enough to justify the expenses of putting them in place? And are the expenses within the reach of developing and least developed countries, especially in light of other development priorities? The six studies in this volume seek to answer these questions.Synopsis
International trade has grown rapidly in recent years, thanks in part to the progressive reduction of tariffs and quotas through successive rounds of multilateral trade liberalisation. However, this progress brings to light one of the remaining weak links of international trade, which prevents countries from drawing full benefits from the advantages of open global markets: border bottlenecks generated by inefficient, outdated and complex trade procedures and formalities. Governments and businesses alike express growing concerns about the cost of those bottlenecks on public resources, productive inputs and consumer goods. To what extent and in which ways do the costs of inefficient border processes influence trade and investment flows, productivity, export competitiveness, poverty reduction, and regional integration efforts? How do institutional and political factors affect the design and implementation of efficiency-enhancing measures? Are the expected benefits of these measures enough to justify the expenses of putting them in place? And are the expenses within the reach of developing and least developed countries, especially in light of other development priorities? The six studies in this volume seek to answer these questions.