It has generally been argued that regional trade agreements (RTAs) among developing countries may induce potential adverse effects on trade patterns among RTA members and between them and third countries. Using an expanded gravity model this paper estimates for a number of regional trade...

There is clear evidence that existing preferential schemes contributed significantly to boosting LDC exports. Many seem to believe the multilateral trading system could offer little to LDCs as they have already obtained market access to critical markets under the current preferential schemes....

This paper highlights the heterogeneity among SMEs exporting outside the EU across EU Member States and reviews how barriers facing SMEs can be tackled trade policy discussions. With over 600,000 goods exporting SMEs (over 80% of the total number of EU goods exporting firms) accounting for one...

Throughout human history, trade remained a key factor in explaining the economic rise and fall of societies and nations. Despite the perennial nature of international trade in our societies and the ample evidence in favour of its importance, the benefits from trade for individual consumers are...

This paper highlights the importance of international trade to economic prosperity based on recent economic evidence. It shows how EU trade policy supports the three key principles of the European Commission’s ‘Trade for All’ strategy. Communicating these results in a more meaningful way...

This note provides an analysis on the implications of the COVID-19 on a number of key areas in international trade policy. It reviews the range of existing literature and present findings from some in-house analysis conducted by DG TRADE. It provides clear evidence in support of the role of...

In the current global context marked by economic fragility, growing uncertainty and geopolitical conflicts, ensuring the smooth functioning of global supply chains becomes more important than ever. Supply shortages, higher freight costs, higher commodity prices and strong demand increase will...

This Policy Brief introduces the Gini Trade Index (GTI) as a new trade synthetic key performance indicator capable of capturing the different distribution of trade values across firm characteristics and across countries. The new indicator replicates the well-known features of the traditional...

This Policy Brief introduces the Gini Trade Index (GTI) as a new trade synthetic key performance indicator capable of capturing the different distribution of trade values across firm characteristics and across countries. The new indicator replicates the well-known features of the traditional...

Trade agreements are powerful drivers of global economic integration, leading to increased trade flows between countries. Usually, trade agreements are extensive documents with hundreds of provisions and different levels of enforceability. Are all these provisions useful, even those that are...