Investment liberalization is central for ASEAN to attract greater FDI inflows and intra-region direct investment flows. This paper focuses on measuring and examining the progress and challenges in the implementation of the investment liberalization initiatives in the AEC Blueprint 2009–2015....

This paper examines the progress of liberalization of the ASEAN Framework Agreement in Services (AFAS). It measures the changes in the rate of liberalization of the AFAS commitments from the 7th to the 8th package negotiations. The comparisons show only marginal improvement in the depth of...

We examine the firm-level impact of the use of free trade agreement (FTA) schemes on import prices by employing firm-level import data that enables us to identify the use of different tariff schemes, such as FTA schemes and most favoured nation (MFN) schemes. Unlike the previous studies, we...

This paper provides the first empirical evidence about the tariff passthrough in world-wide trade. Specifically, we estimate the effects of tariff reduction on import prices for our tariff line-level data in 46 importing countries in 2007- 2011. The estimation results show that the average...

ASEAN has successfully reduced tariffs but not non-tariff measures (NTMs). Efforts to reduce NTMs always hit the debate surrounding justification of application of the measures. Efficiency of implementation of the measures adds to another issue in the agenda to reduce NTMs regardless the debate,...

Market-based instruments such as Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) are increasingly favoured as an alternative to command-and-control legislation to increase the uptake of renewable energy. Focusing on the renewable energy industry and policy situation in Asia, this paper analysed the strengths...

This paper develops a framework to assess the scope of collaboration among countries that are pursuing low-carbon green growth. Much of the policy studies in the area of low-carbon green growth have focused on individual countries or a group of countries. Little attention is given to how...

Technology transfers are important channels for firms in developing countries to get access to new technology and initiate innovation. This paper examines the geographical pattern of technology transfers in the form of buyer-provided training in domestic and international production networks....

From a rising share in the global semiconductor market in the 1990s, which peaked at 7.7 percent in 1999, the standing of the Philippines has since weakened with shares declining to four percent in 2005 and 2.5 percent in 2012. Heavy reliance of the Philippine semiconductor industry on foreign...

Abstract: This paper discusses the development of and policy towards biodiesel fuel (BDF) in the East Asia Summit (EAS) Region (hereafter East Asia), with a focus on activities related to harmonizing BDF standards. It finds that the EAS countries have actively promoted the development of BDF for...