ASEAN has established mutual recognition arrangements (MRAs) on eight professional services. This paper assesses the progress of these arrangements’ paying special attention to the (i) regional and national implementation, (ii) national regulatory changes, and (iii) utilization of these...

ASEAN Economic Ministers signed the Agreement on the Movement of Natural Persons (MNP) in 2012. This is a new instrument potentially facilitating the free flow of goods, services, investment, and skilled labour, thus contributing to the establishment of an ASEAN single market and production...

Competition policy is an important beyond-the-border element of the single market and production base envisioned in the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC). The targets for competition policy in the AEC Blueprint have been largely met. Looking beyond 2015, ASEAN needs to consider broadening the...

We examine the transmission of economic shocks both from the rest of the world into the ASEAN region, as well as the transmission of such shocks from the rest of the row and ASEAN into a typical AMS. The approach we take is three-pronged. First, we will look into the trade and financial linkages...

In this paper, we investigate the dynamic nature of trading using Japanese firm-level data. Specifically, we examine state dependence and cross effects in exporting and importing. Our findings are as follows. First, we found significant state dependence and cross effects in exporting and...

Hong Kong proposed its possible accession to the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area (ACFTA) in November 2011. This report examines how much Hong Kong's accession to ACFTA will impact on the trade in goods between ASEAN and China. It is likely that the direct impact of Hong Kong's accession will be...

We conduct a set of global computable general equilibrium (CGE) simulations to evaluate economic effects of Hong Kong’s accession to the ASEAN-China FTA (HK-ACFTA) by implementing tariff elimination, logistics, enhancement, and reduction in service trade barriers. All the participating...

ASEAN countries have liberalized intra-ASEAN trade over the last 20 years by establishing the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA). This paper aims to examine the impact of trade liberalization under AFTA on intra-ASEAN trade. By applying a gravity model, we find positive and significant trade creation...

Addressing technical barriers to trade is a key priority of ASEAN as part of trade facilitation in achieving the Single Market and Production Base under the ASEAN Economic Community in 2015 and building an effective and competitive Economic Community beyond 2015. Standards and conformance...

The current status of trade facilitation measures including the ASEAN Single Window initiative is reviewed and assessed. Similar initiatives for trade facilitation in other parts of the world are also appraised, and recommendations for further enhancements for ASEAN trade facilitation are proposed.