The paper discusses the pros and cons of a Transatlantic free trade area (TAFTA) against the concept of an informal trade-facilitating marketplace between Europe and the US. It finds considerably more cons expecially since TAFTA would be expected to have ever more discriminatory effects to the...

Kürzlich ist die ursprünglich von James Tobin vorgeschlagene Steuer auf Devisenmarkttransaktionen wieder in die politische Diskussion gerückt. Die deutsche und die französische Regierung haben sich bereits im vergangenen Jahr positiv zur Einführung einer Tobin-Steuer geäußert. Anfang 2002...

This paper discusses the issue whether developing countries forego chances in world manufactured markets by protecting intermediate services against market entry of new suppliers. By scanning the empirical literature on effective rates of protection (ERP), the evidence is supportive. Yet, it...

The paper discusses the costs and benefits to be expected by least-developed and low-income (‘vulnerable’) economies if they accede to the WTO, the impact of current debates about WTO reform on vulnerable economies, and measures to make it easier for vulnerable economies to accede to and...