Economic Reporter :
Developing countries lose an estimated $23 billion per year, equal to about 10 percent of their exports to the Group of 20 (G20), through failure to comply with G20 non-tariff measures, according to new data published by UNCTAD early this week.
Non-tariff measures cover a broad range of legitimate and important policy instruments, including measures to protect the health of a country’s citizens and its environments, too. For example, non-tariff measures may limit the use of pesticides in food.
But as tariffs have fallen to historic low, non-tariff measures have replaced them as a key brake on faster global trade growth. And the expansion of the middle classes in many countries is expected to increase demand for safer, cleaner products. This, in turn, may require governments to introduce more non-tariff measures.
“These kinds of measures are becoming increasingly widespread,” said UNCTAD Deputy Secretary-General Joakim Reiter on release of the new data. For example, he said, measures on the cleanliness and pathogen-free status of food – known as sanitary and phytosanitary measures – cover more than 60 per cent of agricultural trade.”
Pointing out that non-tariff measures are the new frontier in our quest for greater global trade,” he said, noting that better information would reduce the costs of non-tariff measures.
Developing countries lose an estimated $23 billion per year, equal to about 10 percent of their exports to the Group of 20 (G20), through failure to comply with G20 non-tariff measures, according to new data published by UNCTAD early this week.
Non-tariff measures cover a broad range of legitimate and important policy instruments, including measures to protect the health of a country’s citizens and its environments, too. For example, non-tariff measures may limit the use of pesticides in food.
But as tariffs have fallen to historic low, non-tariff measures have replaced them as a key brake on faster global trade growth. And the expansion of the middle classes in many countries is expected to increase demand for safer, cleaner products. This, in turn, may require governments to introduce more non-tariff measures.
“These kinds of measures are becoming increasingly widespread,” said UNCTAD Deputy Secretary-General Joakim Reiter on release of the new data. For example, he said, measures on the cleanliness and pathogen-free status of food – known as sanitary and phytosanitary measures – cover more than 60 per cent of agricultural trade.”
Pointing out that non-tariff measures are the new frontier in our quest for greater global trade,” he said, noting that better information would reduce the costs of non-tariff measures.
