Welfare versus market access: The implications of tariff structure for tariff reform

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Anderson, James E.; Neary, J. Peter
• 署名单位: University College Dublin; Boston College; National Bureau of Economic Research
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF INTERNATIONAL ECONOMICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0022-1996
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jinteco.2006.02.004
• 发表日期: 2007
• 页码: 187-205
• 关键词: concertina rule; Market access; Piecemeal policy reform; tariff moments; uniform tariff reductions

摘要

We show that the effects of tariff changes on welfare and import volume are fully characterised by their effects on the generalised mean and variance of the tariff distribution, implying two cones of liberalisation in commodity price space. Because welfare is negatively but import volume positively related to the generalised variance, the cones do not intersect, which poses a policy dilemma. We present a new radial tariff reform rule, which implies new results for welfare- and market-access-improving tariff changes. Finally, we show that generalised and trade-weighted moments are mutually proportional when the trade expenditure function is CES. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All tights reserved.