Estimates of Trade-Related Adjustment Costs in Syria
The scope and complexity of international trading arrangements in the Middle East, as well as their spotty historical record of success, underscores the urgent need for an adequate understanding of the relative costs and benefits of participation i...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Policy Research Working Paper |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2012
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/main?menuPK=64187510&pagePK=64193027&piPK=64187937&theSitePK=523679&menuPK=64187510&searchMenuPK=64187283&siteName=WDS&entityID=000158349_20100721082232 http://hdl.handle.net/10986/3852 |
| Summary: | The scope and complexity of
international trading arrangements in the Middle East, as
well as their spotty historical record of success,
underscores the urgent need for an adequate understanding of
the relative costs and benefits of participation in
preferential trading arrangements and, more generally, of
changes in domestic import regimes. This paper seeks to
address this problem by providing estimates of the
adjustment costs associated with two broad classes of
hypothetical trade policy scenarios for Syria: participation
in preferential trading arrangements, and changes in the
domestic import regime. The authors find that the revenue
consequences of the first scenario may be substantial. Their
analysis of the second scenario suggests that the number of
tariff bands can be reduced, while ensuring revenue
neutrality, via the introduction of a value added tax of
sufficient but reasonable size. |
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