Suchergebnisse

Using unexplored Japanese and Swiss public procurement data over 1990-2003, we examine the effect of macroeconomic, political economy, procurement-specific and domestic policy factors on governments' sourcing decisions. We also provide for an empirical test of Baldwin's (1970, 1984) "neutrality proposition" and for the effectiveness of the WTO's Uruguay Round Agreement on Government Procurement (URGPA) in increasing foreign market access. Our results suggest the importance of the magnitude of procurement demand, domestic firm attributes and unobserved sector-specific heterogeneity in these governments' purchases from abroad. However, the expected impact of traditional macroeconomic variables and political budget cycles does not come through in our results. Public and private sector imports do not offset each other in our analyses for Japan and only selectively for Switzerland. Finally, membership of the GPA is only found to increase the value of foreign procurement in Switzerland, though it seems to increase the import demand for contracts in both countries.

The purpose of the thesis is to discuss and analyze the effects of WTO accession on Ethiopia's economic policy making with particular emphasis on foreign market access for her exports. That is, its aim is to ask how important market access might be as an incentive for Ethiopia to join the WTO. Assessing Ethiopia's effective utilization of already granted preferential market access is also another major objective addressed in the paper. The paper also discusses the costs and benefits to be expected by Ethiopia if she accedes to the WTO. We employ both descriptive and empirical analysis approaches. Trends of Ethiopia's exports by major destinations, Ethiopia's utilization of preferential market access, and major consequences of policy changes as a result of joining the WTO are among descriptively analyzed issues. For empirical analysis part, we employ the gravity model of international trade and include data on 31 of Ethiopia's trade partners. The empirical analysis is done using two sample periods-(1995-2003) and (2000-2003)-to observe the effects of recent preferential market accesses-AGOA and EBA initiatives. To enable us to draw sound conclusions from empirical results, three trade policy indicators are used. These are Heritage Foundation Index of distortions in international trade, Economic Freedom of the World international trade index and trade dependency ratio of Ethiopia's trading partners. European Union (EU) member countries, COMESA member countries, Saudi Arabia, United States (US) and Japan are major importers of Ethiopian exporters. In addition to the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), European Union granted Ethiopia preferential market access under EU-ASP economic partnership (Cotonou Agreement) and EBA initiatives. United States also offered preferential market access for Ethiopia under AGOA. However, it is found that Ethiopia's utilization of these preferential market accesses is not satisfactory. Without taking these preferential market accesses into account, our empirical estimates show that import barriers imposed by Ethiopia's trade partners do not play an important role in determining the volume of Ethiopian exports. Therefore, the results suggest that the most favored nation mechanism and putative improved market access might not be an important criterion for deciding Ethiopia's Accession to the WTO. Hence she should demand longenough periods both for accession process and transition period to address her supply side problems.

The WTO's Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA) has data reporting obligations for all its Contracting Parties. Submitting such data promotes transparency in public procurement and also signals tendencies towards discrimination. However, most developing countries, especially emerging economies, are non-members of the GPA and therefore have no comparable data reporting obligations. In most cases, this has led to an absence of any reliable data on these countries' public purchases, which poses a serious challenge in international negotiations on the subject and in examining the impact of protectionist measures in these countries' public markets. In this short paper, we attempt to overcome these data challenges by developing a methodology to estimate the size of procurement markets in non-GPA countries as well as foreign market access therein. We also show the results from this methodology for estimating the EU's access in select emerging economies' public markets.

We examine the interaction between goods trade and market power in domestic trade and distribution sectors. Theory suggests a set of linkages between service-sector competition and goods trade supported by econometrics involving imports of 22 OECD countries vis-à-vis 69 exporters. Competition in services affects the volume of goods trade while the market structure of the domestic service sector becomes increasingly important as tariffs are reduced. Empirically, lack of service competition apparently matters most for exporters in smaller, poorer countries. By ignoring the structure of the domestic services sector, we may be seriously overestimating the market-access benefits of tariff reductions.

We examine an issue at the nexus of domestic competition policy and international trade, the interaction between goods trade and market power in domestic trade and distribution sectors. Theory suggests a set of linkages between service-sector competition and goods trade supported by econometrics involving imports of 22 OECD countries vis-´a-vis 69 exporters. Competition in services affects the volume of goods trade. Additionally, because of interaction between tariffs and competition, the market structure of the domestic service sector becomes increasingly important as tariffs are reduced. Empirically service competition apparently matters most for exporters in smaller, poorer countries. Our results also suggest that while negotiated agreements leading to crossborder services liberalization may boost goods trade as well, they may also lead to a fall in goods trade when such liberalization involves FDI leading to increased service sector concentration.

Cover -- Colophon -- Preface -- 1. Introduction to the Market Access -- 1.1 Origin of the Market Access term -- Market Access for goods -- Application of the Market Access concept to healthcare: similarities with market economy -- 1.2 Healthcare market specifics -- 1.3 Market Access definition -- 1.4 Market Access key concepts -- What is Access -- What is Value -- Market Access and the structure of healthcare market -- 1.5 Cultural specificities of Market Access -- 1.6 Market Access from payers perspective -- The payers of healthcare -- Market Access tools to control drug expenditure -- The Value assessment by payers -- The link between HTA and Pricing & Reimbursement conditions -- Non‑HTA tools that affect pricing -- 1.7 Market Access Agreements -- Definition -- Taxonomy -- The future -- 1.8 References -- 1.9 To know more -- 2. Market Access in Asian countries -- 2.1 Overview on the Healthcare Systems and Healthcare Policies -- South Korea -- China -- Thailand -- 2.2 Recent Healthcare Policies -- Thailand -- South Korea -- China -- 2.3 Pathways of Market Access -- South Korea -- China -- Thailand -- 2.4 Challenges and catalyzers for Market Access -- 2.5 Market Outlook -- 2.6 References -- 2.7 To know more -- 3. Market Access in South American Countries -- 3.1 Introduction -- 3.2 General economic outlook -- 3.3 Health Sector -- 3.4 Pharmaceutical Markets -- 3.5 Health Technology Agencies -- The History of HTA in Latin America -- Red ETSA – Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) -- How the future looks? -- 3.6 Market access -- Mexico -- Colombia -- Access to Mexico -- Access to Colombia -- 3.7 Final Comments -- 3.8 To know more -- 4. Market Access in South Eastern Europe Countries -- 4.1 Introduction -- Historical influence and heritage of healthcare sector -- 4.2 General Outlook of Healthcare System and Health Policies -- Albania