Theoretical Tariff Analysis

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Chapter Four: Theoretical Tariff analysis of Regional Economic Integrations 4.0 Introduction The previous chapters tried to review of the ideas of regional economic integration (REIs) from different literature. As the literature puts it, REIs are generally believed to be welfare improving (though there are costs incurred, it is believed that the benefits outweigh the costs). This paper tries to prove this idea for Ethiopia by considering the case of COMESA-FTA using empirical evidence. In this chapter, the theoretical analysis of the model will be discussed. One of important features of REIs is the abolishment of tariff across the member countries. A tariff is a tax or duty levied on traded commodity as it crosses a national boundary. The…show more content…
It can be measured or approximated rather, using GNP, Per capita income (PCI), income distribution measures, using the concepts of consumer’s surplus and producer’s surplus, etc. Estimation of welfare using GNP or PCI is considered, here, to be inefficient, because one cannot say welfare has improved when there is an increase in GNP or PCI. This is because the increase or change may be appropriated be some parties while others may even lose from their initial standard of living (i.e. the income gap between the rich and the poor may become wider while there is an increase in GNP or PCI, which will not reflect welfare improvement at the individual level). The other alternative is to approximate welfare using income distribution measures, such as poverty line, as a variable. This approach can estimate welfare better than GNP or PCI approaches. However, incorporating the tariff effect on welfare would be difficult if this variable is used to approximate welfare. In addition, the model that is going to be estimated using this variable may not correctly or clearly show the effect of a tariff change on…show more content…
They distort prices by imposing trade costs on the trading parties involved. Hence the first effect of a preferential trade arrangement is to reduce tariff adjusted prices of imports from members in relation to the prices of imports from non-member countries. This shifts expenditures, reshapes trade flows and affects output levels. The tariff-adjusted prices of intra-union imports fall in relation to the prices of imports from the Rest Of the World (ROW). As a result, expenditures are shifted away from extra-union produced goods, thereby increasing profits for and encouraging production by union firms. (J. Behar.
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