Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/114444 
Year of Publication: 
2014
Series/Report no.: 
KOF Working Papers No. 369
Publisher: 
ETH Zurich, KOF Swiss Economic Institute, Zurich
Abstract: 
Are product standards protectionism in disguise? This paper estimates the costs of non- compliance with U.S. product standards, using a new database on U.S. import refusals from 2002 to 2012. We find that import refusals significantly decrease exports to the United States. This trade reducing effect is driven by developing countries and by refusals without any product sample analysis, in particular during the Subprime Crisis and its aftermath. This empirical result is consistent with (but does not prove) the existence of counter-cyclical, hidden protectionism due to non-tariff barriers to trade in the United States.
Subjects: 
Hidden protectionism
international trade
developing countries
import refusals
regulatory costs
disaggregated
United States
JEL: 
F13
F14
O24
F63
Persistent Identifier of the first edition: 
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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