On the Measurement of Trade Costs: Direct vs. Indirect Approaches to Quantifying Standards and Technical Regulations

CEP Discussion Papers from Centre for Economic Performance, LSE

Abstract: In this article, we review the literature on the measurement of trade costs in international trade with a special emphasis on nontariff measures and in particular on standards and technical regulations. We distinguish 'direct' from 'indirect' approaches. The direct approach collects observable data or proxy variables on trade cost components which are then typically used as regressors in a gravity equation of trade. Instead, the indirect approach infers the extent of trade impediments from trade flows. It compares actual trade flows to the trade flows predicted by a hypothetical frictionless benchmark scenario based on a micro-founded trade model, attributing the deviation of actual from predicted trade flows to trade frictions. We argue that economists and policymakers can gain useful insights from both approaches.

Keywords: Trade costs; nontariff measures; product standards; technical regulations; technical barriers to trade; measurement; gravity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: F10 F15 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2012-09
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-int
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (40)

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Journal Article: On the measurement of trade costs: direct vs. indirect approaches to quantifying standards and technical regulations (2012)
Working Paper: On the Measurement of Trade Costs: Direct vs. Indirect Approaches to Quantifying Standards and Technical Regulations (2012)
Working Paper: On the measurement of trade costs: direct vs. indirect approaches to quantifying standards and technical regulations (2012)
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