The paper presents univariate and panel unit root tests for gasoline and oil price convergence over the last decade. We test for the absolute versus relative version of the law of one price (LOOP) and estimate the speed of convergence as well as its development over time. Our results show that the absolute version of the LOOP cannot be supported. Constant price differences between countries remain, caused mainly by existing tax differences. The relative version of the LOOP is strongly supported by the data. The speed of convergence increased over time, but differs for gross and net-of-tax prices. We can show that national tax policy by EU member states is not (yet) threatened by arbitrage due to cross-border shopping.
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Paper provided by KOF Swiss Economic Institute, ETH Zurich in its series KOF Working papers with number
05-114.
Find related papers by JEL classification: H7 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations F15 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Economic Integration Q48 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Government Policy C2 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables
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Stephen G. Cecchetti & Nelson C. Mark & Robert J. Sonora, 2002.
"Price Index Convergence Among United States Cities,"
International Economic Review,
Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 43(4), pages 1081-1099, November.
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