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A Re-Examination of the Effect of GATT/WTO on Trade

Author

Listed:
  • Salvador Gil-Pareja

    (University of Valencia)

  • Rafael Llorca-Vivero

    (University of Valencia)

  • José Antonio Martínez-Serrano

    (University of Valencia)

Abstract

The empirical literature on the effect of the GATT/WTO on trade provides ambiguous results. This paper sheds new light on this issue by re-examining the ex post (partial) effect of GATT/WTO membership on trade using multiple econometric specifications of the gravity equation and analysing several potential asymmetries of the GATT/WTO system. Our results show an uneven but pervasive evidence that membership in GATT/WTO have had an economically significant effect on members’ bilateral trade. Moreover, we find that the GATT/WTO effect operates through both trade margins but mainly through the intensive margin.

Suggested Citation

  • Salvador Gil-Pareja & Rafael Llorca-Vivero & José Antonio Martínez-Serrano, 2016. "A Re-Examination of the Effect of GATT/WTO on Trade," Open Economies Review, Springer, vol. 27(3), pages 561-584, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:openec:v:27:y:2016:i:3:d:10.1007_s11079-015-9385-5
    DOI: 10.1007/s11079-015-9385-5
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    Cited by:

    1. Díaz-Mora, Carmen & Esteve-Pérez, Silviano & Gil-Pareja, Salvador, 2023. "A re-assessment of the heterogeneous effect of trade agreements using intra-national trade flows," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 940-951.
    2. Salvador Gil-Pareja & Rafael Llorca-Vivero & José Antonio Martínez-Serrano, 2018. "Reciprocal vs nonreciprocal trade agreements: which have been best to promote exports?," Working Papers 1802, Department of Applied Economics II, Universidad de Valencia.
    3. Silviano Esteve-Pérez & Salvador Gil-Pareja & Rafael Llorca-Vivero & Jordi Paniagua, 2021. "Has the Euro paid off? A study of the trade-induced welfare effects of the EMU," Working Papers 2103, Department of Applied Economics II, Universidad de Valencia.
    4. Samuel Admassu, 2020. "The trade creation effects of Africa’s reciprocal vis-à-vis non-reciprocal trade agreements," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 59(6), pages 2717-2730, December.
    5. Silviano Esteve-Pérez & Salvador Gil-Pareja & Rafael Llorca-Vivero, 2020. "Does the GATT/WTO promote trade? After all, Rose was right," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 156(2), pages 377-405, May.
    6. Teresa L. Cyrus, 2021. "Why Do Countries Form Regional Trade Agreements? A Discrete-Time Survival Analysis," Open Economies Review, Springer, vol. 32(2), pages 417-434, April.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    GATT; WTO; Trade; Gravity model; Extensive margin; Intensive margin;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F14 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Empirical Studies of Trade

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