Publication: Distortions to Agricultural Incentives in Eastern Europe and Central Asia
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Date
2009-03
ISSN
Published
2009-03
Author(s)
Abstract
In a recent survey of European economic
growth since 1950, Crafts and Toniolo (2008) conclude that
incentive structures are a crucial explanator of comparative
growth rates of the economies of east and west Europe.
Pre-empting that, a 2006 report on trade performance and
policies in Eastern Europe and Central Asia included as one
of its key recommendations the need to reduce the mean and
variance of the tariff equivalents of trade barriers, and in
particular to reduce unilaterally the policy regimes'
anti-export bias, especially in countries exporting primary
products (Broadman 2006). To progress such reform in
Europe's transition economies efficiently and
effectively, and to see how recent policies line up with
those of the European Union (EU), requires better
information on the extent of reform during the past two
decades and of current policy influences on incentives
within and between sectors. Immediately prior to their
transition to market economies, policies in the region
greatly distorted producer and consumer incentives,
especially for agricultural products. Those distortions have
been reduced substantially in several countries, but large
variations remain across the region and distortions appear
to be growing again in some countries. Now is thus an
opportune time to examine how policies affecting agriculture
are evolving in this region, including as part of the
adjustment to EU accession for ten of the transition
economies in the region.
Citation
“Anderson, Kym; Swinnen, Johan. 2009. Distortions to Agricultural Incentives in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Agricultural Distortions Working Paper;63. © World Bank, Washington, DC. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/28168 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”