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Crisis-Era Protectionism: Evidence from the Global Trade Alert. Prepared for the OECD Trade Committee Prof. Simon J. Evenett www.globaltradealert.org. The value-added of independent monitoring in global downturns. Sole focus on monitoring; no dilution of effort.
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Crisis-Era Protectionism: Evidence from the Global Trade Alert Prepared for the OECD Trade Committee Prof. Simon J. Evenett www.globaltradealert.org
The value-added of independent monitoring in global downturns • Sole focus on monitoring; no dilution of effort. • Scope not artificially limited by existing international accords. • Avoids pitfalls of formal notification and verification systems. • Accelerated reporting cycles. • Avoid tendency to prematurely declare victory: there were three false endings to the Great Depression. • Users: In less than 5 months 3,500 users have returned to the site 9 or more times.
The latest results from the GTA • 520 completed investigations of announced state measures: 355 implemented, 165 pending. • Of the implemented measures, 252 discriminate against foreign commercial interests. • Only 47 of the discriminatory measures are trade remedies. • Of the pending measures, if implemented, 150 will almost certainly involve discrimination. • 104 of these measures are trade remedies. • The GTA team is currently investigating another 352 state measures.
The form of discrimination is changing Already implemented Pending
Implications for policymaking • Just because protectionism hasn't turned out as badly as many feared it might at the beginning of 2009 doesn't mean it isn't a problem or that it cannot become one, especially as unemployment rises sharply in the next 12 months. • Monitoring and peer pressure should continue; the world economy is not out of trouble yet, and in today's 24-hour media cycles protectionist spirals can get out of control very quickly.
Knowledge gaps • The varied mix of contemporary protectionism means its can't be neatly summarised using in terms of trade reductions and tariff equivalent increases. • Investment and trade impact of financial assistance offered to the non-financial sector will stall the process of rationalisation, depressing prices. • Buy national programmes need much more attention. • Various export promotion schemes need examination.