Abstract: We analyze the trade and welfare impact of quarantine measures imposed by Australiaon imports of pigmeat. In particular, we account for changes to Australia’s pigmeat quarantinepolicy over time including those changes related to the recent resolution of a WTO disputebetween...

Abstract: We analyze the trade and welfare impact of quarantine measures imposed by Australiaon imports of pigmeat. In particular, we account for changes to Australia’s pigmeat quarantinepolicy over time including those changes related to the recent resolution of a WTO disputebetween...

We raise the possibility that at least some of the free trade areas observed in practice are customs unions in disguise. We distinguish between generalized and standard customs unions. While members of the former can choose different external tariff rates, members of the latter levy a common...

This paper analyzes how uncertainty and the timing of its resolution influence the formation and design of regional trade agreements. Two sources of uncertainty ? in demand and costs ? are considered. We compare the case in which uncertainty is resolved "early" (before tariffs are chosen), with...

Customs unions constitute agreements to engage in free intra-union trade and to levy common external tariffs on trade with nonmembers. Existing theoretical models do not agree on how the common external tariffs are chosen. In this paper, a model of customs union formation is developed in which...

A key characteristic of any trade bloc is its “flexibility” – the extent to which it can be modified or augmented by existing members. This paper investigates how prospective trade bloc members value the flexibility of proposed trade agreements in a changing trading environment. We...

This paper provides an in-depth examination of the trade effects of three regional trade agreements (RTAs) – the ASEAN Free Trade Agreement (AFTA), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and the Southern Cone Common Market (MERCOSUR) -- in the agricultural sector. Results...

This paper evaluates the different approaches to quantifying the trade impact of standards in the agri-food sector. The approaches discussed fall into two broad categories: ex post empirical estimation and ex ante simulation. Recent developments on the impact of standards on market segmentation...

This paper investigates how customs union members select the common external tariff (CET) to levy on imports from nonmembers. A perfectly competitive, pure exchange, general-equilibrium model of world trade is simulated. Contrary to most previous work, countries have the freedom to share...