Publication: Help or Hindrance? The Impact of Harmonized Standards on African Exports
Date
2007-11
ISSN
Published
2007-11
Author(s)
Czubala, Witold
Shepherd, Ben
Wilson, John S.
Abstract
The authors test the hypothesis that
product standards harmonized to de facto international
standards are less trade restrictive than ones that are not.
To do this, the authors construct a new database of European
Union (EU) product standards. The authors identify
standards that are aligned with ISO standards (as a proxy
for de facto international norms). The authors use a
sample-selection gravity model to examine the impact of EU
standards on African textiles and clothing exports, a sector
of particular development interest. The authors find robust
evidence that non-harmonized standards reduce African
exports of these products. EU standards which are harmonized
to ISO standards are less trade restricting. Our results
suggest that efforts to promote African exports of
manufactures may need to be complemented by measures to
reduce the cost impacts of product standards, including
international harmonization. In addition, efforts to
harmonize national standards with international norms,
including through the World Trade Organization Technical
Barriers to Trade Agreement, promise concrete benefits
through trade expansion.
Link to Data Set
Citation
“Czubala, Witold; Shepherd, Ben; Wilson, John S.. 2007. Help or Hindrance? The Impact of Harmonized Standards on African Exports. Policy Research Working Paper; No. 4400. © World Bank, Washington, DC. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/7577 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”
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