North-South Standards Harmonization and International Trade

Pré-publication, Document de travail: Recent years have seen a surge in economic integration agreements (EIAs) and the development of non-tariff measures (NTMs). As a consequence, a growing number of EIAs include provisions on NTMs. This paper focuses on provisions on technical regulations. We investigate whether the technical requirements contained in North-South Agreements affect international trade. More particularly, using a gravity equation, we assess to what extent North-South harmonization of technical barriers creates or reinforces a hub-and-spoke trade structure potentially detrimental to the integration of Southern countries in world economy.

Auteur(s)

Olivier Cadot, Anne-Célia Disdier, Lionel Fontagné

Date de publication
  • 2012
Mots-clés JEL
F13 F15 O19
Mots-clés
  • Economic integration agreement
  • Technical provisions
  • Harmonization
  • Hub-andspoke trade structure
Référence interne
  • G-MonD Working Paper n°26
Version
  • 1