Download the Full Report: Regional Integration and Non-Tariff Measures in ASEAN
Though tariffs have been reduced, the number of non-tariff measures (NTMs) continues to increase, and is often blamed in part for the lack of integration in ASEAN. Unlike tariffs which could be eliminated entirely, a world without NTMs would be hard to imagine as they can play an important role in ensuring the quality of goods.
As countries become wealthier, demand for better quality and greater safety of products is inevitable. However, not all NTMs are benign; some of them can complicate business rather than achieving their main goals.
To improve the trade environment and make NTMs work for the common good, ASEAN should break with the 'trade negotiation' approach and strive instead for regional transparency, further cooperation in conformity assessment procedures, and dynamic disciplines.
This book explores relevant issues related to NTMs and their relation to regional integration issues in ASEAN countries.
It discusses contemporary issues related to NTMs in the region, including recent world trends, regulatory convergence, government procurement, and environmental issues. The studies in this book employ relevant impact analysis methodologies for NTMs, from ad-valorem equivalent (AVE) to CGE modeling.
The data on NTMs for the ten ASEAN countries have been collected by UNCTAD and ERIA together with the ASEAN countries and are available at: trains.unctad.org
