On July 1st 1993, the EU implemented the Common Organization for the Market of Bananas (COMB) to replace the different national banana policies that previously existed in its member countries. As it turned out, the adopted regime became one of the most bitterly internally disputed outcomes of the completion of the EU single common market, and is an on-going source of dispute at the WTO level between the EU on the one side, and the US and Latin American countries on the other side. The most controversial aspects of the COMB relate to the management of banana trade with non-EU countries, and in particular, to the tariff-rate quota (TRQ) imposed on non-traditional ACP and dollar bananas. These issues are at the center of this work which focuses on the German and French banana markets, the two largest single importers of bananas in the EU, characterized by opposed pre-COMB banana regimes. In addition, the US banana market, the single largest banana importer worldwide, characterized by a free trade policy, is also analyzed. The analysis of market performance revolves around pricing efficiency and market integration, as measured by the extent and speed of horizontal and vertical price transmission. A quantitative assessment of the distribution of quota rents among operators on the one hand, and between Germany and France on the other hand, is carried out. A brief analysis of the economic impact on dollar banana operators of a COMB reform towards a tariff-only system, concludes the empirical work.

In 2001, the EU and US announced the end of a trade dispute over the sale of bananas into the EU market. The allocation of import liscences had been found to violate World Trade Organization rules and to discriminate against suppliers from Latin America.This book examines the issues surrounding the dispute, in particular: the dependence of small Carribean economies on European Banana Markets; the role of the private sector in influencing public policy; the relation between the banana trade and the political tensions of the EU Common Agricultural Policy; the domestic political influence of banana companies in the US and the role of the WTO and its settlement of trade disputes.

Agricultural trade is a major factor determining food security in Caribbean countries. In these small open economies, exports are essential, whilst imports provide a large part of the food supply. This book examines various dimensions of trade policy and related issues and suggests policies to address trade and food security and rural development linkages. It is as a guide and reference documents for agricultural trade policy analysts, trade negotiators, policy-makers and planners in both the public and private sectors.

Trade flows and trade policies need to be properly quantified to describe, compare, or follow the evolution of policies between sectors or countries or over time. This is essential to ensure that policy choices are made with an appropriate knowledge of the real conditions. This practical guide introduces the main techniques of trade and trade policy data analysis. It shows how to develop the main indexes used to analyze trade flows, tariff structures, and non-tariff measures. It presents the databases needed to construct these indexes as well as the challenges faced in collecting and processing these data, such as measurement errors or aggregation bias. Written by experts with practical experience in the field, A Practical Guide to Trade Policy Analysis has been developed to contribute to enhance developing countries' capacity to analyze and implement trade policy. It offers a hands-on introduction on how to estimate the distributional effects of trade policies on welfare, in particular on inequality and poverty. The guide is aimed at government experts engaged in trade negotiations, as well as students and researchers involved in trade-related study or research. An accompanying DVD contains data sets and program command files required for the exercises. Copublished by the WTO and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development

In less than three decades, China has grown from playing a negligible role in international trade to being one of the world's largest exporters, a substantial importer of raw materials, intermediate outputs, and other goods, and both a recipient and source of foreign investment. Not surprisingly, China's economic dynamism has generated considerable attention and concern in the United States and beyond. While some analysts have warned of the potential pitfalls of China's rise—the loss of jobs, for example—others have highlighted the benefits of new market and investment opportunities for US firms. Bringing together an expert group of contributors, China's Growing Role in World Trade undertakes an empirical investigation of the effects of China's new status. The essays collected here provide detailed analyses of the microstructure of trade, the macroeconomic implications, sector-level issues, and foreign direct investment. This volume's careful examination of micro data in light of established economic theories clarifies a number of misconceptions, disproves some conventional wisdom, and documents data patterns that enhance our understanding of China's trade and what it may mean to the rest of the world.

This edition brings together analyses, statistics and directory data on the countries and territories of Western Europe.