Overcoming Border Bottlenecks
The Costs and Benefits of Trade Facilitation
International trade has grown rapidly in recent years, thanks in part to the progressive
reduction of tariffs and quotas through successive rounds of multilateral trade liberalisation.
However, this progress brings to light one of the remaining weak links of international
trade, which prevents countries from drawing full benefits from the advantages of
open global markets: border bottlenecks generated by inefficient, outdated and complex
trade procedures and formalities. This book brings together six studies that examine
to what extent and in which ways the costs of inefficient border processes influence
trade and investment flows, how institutional and political factors affect the design
and implementation of efficiency-enhancing measures, whether the expected benefits
of these measures enough to justify the expenses of putting them in place, and whether
the expenses involved are within the reach of developing and least developed countries,
especially in light of other development priorities.
Published on January 19, 2009Also available in: French
In series:OECD Trade Policy Studiesview more titles