Trade Facilitation in ASEAN Member Countries : Measuring Progress and Assessing Priorities
This paper reviews recent progress and indicators of trade facilitation in member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. The findings show that import and export costs vary considerably in the member countries, from very low to mo...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Policy Research Working Paper |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
World Bank, Washington, DC
2012
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2008/05/9416618/trade-facilitation-asean-member-countries-measuring-progress-assessing-priorities http://hdl.handle.net/10986/6715 |
| Summary: | This paper reviews recent progress and
indicators of trade facilitation in member countries of the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations. The findings show
that import and export costs vary considerably in the member
countries, from very low to moderately high levels. Tariff
and non-tariff barriers are generally low to moderate.
Infrastructure quality and services sector competitiveness
range from fair to excellent. Using a standard gravity
model, the authors find that trade flows in Southeast Asia
are particularly sensitive to transport infrastructure and
information and communications technology. The results
suggest that the region stands to make significant economic
gains from trade facilitation reform. These gains could be
considerably larger than those from comparable tariff
reforms. Estimates suggest that improving port facilities in
the region, for example, could expand trade by up to 7.5
percent or $22 billion. The authors interpret this as an
indication of the vital role that transport infrastructure
can play in enhancing intra-regional trade. |
|---|