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Trade policy: home market effect versus terms of trade externality

Author

Listed:
  • Alessia Campolmi

    () (Central European University and Magyar Nemzeti Bank, Hungary)

  • Harald Fadinger

    () (University of Vienna, Austria)

  • Chiara Forlati

    () (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland)

Abstract

We study trade policy in a two-sector Krugman-type trade model with home market effects. We conduct a general analysis allowing for three different instruments: tariffs, export taxes and production subsidies. For each instrument, we consider unilateral trade policy without retaliation. When carefully disentangling the different effects that determine policy makers’ choices and modeling general equilibrium effects of taxes/tariffs, we find – contrary to the results of previous studies – that production subsidies are always inefficiently low and driven by the incentives to improve the (welfare relevant) terms of trade. In the cases of tariffs and export taxes results depend crucially on whether the free trade allocation is efficient. When starting from an allocation that is distorted because of monopolistic competition, the home market effect (and in the case of export taxes also the desire to correct for the monopolistic inefficiency) induces policy makers to set a tariff (an export subsidy). However, when monopolistic distortions are corrected, terms of trade effects dominate the choice of trade policy and lead to an import subsidy (an export tax).

Suggested Citation

  • Alessia Campolmi & Harald Fadinger & Chiara Forlati, 2010. "Trade policy: home market effect versus terms of trade externality," MNB Working Papers 2010/6, Magyar Nemzeti Bank (Central Bank of Hungary).
    • Handle: RePEc:mnb:wpaper:2010/6
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Epifani, Paolo & Gancia, Gino, 2017. "Global imbalances revisited: The transfer problem and transport costs in monopolistic competition," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 99-116.
    2. Haaland, Jan I. & Venables, Anthony J., 2016. "Optimal trade policy with monopolistic competition and heterogeneous firms," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 85-95.
    3. Paul Bergin & Giancarlo Corsetti, 2015. "Beyond Competitive Devaluations: The Monetary Dimensions of Comparative Advantage," Discussion Papers 1516, Centre for Macroeconomics (CFM).
    4. David De Remer, 2013. "The Evolution of International Subsidy Rules," Working Papers ECARES ECARES 2013-45, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    5. Paul R. Bergin & Giancarlo Corsetti, 2013. "International Competitiveness and Monetary Policy: Strategic Policy and Coordination with a Production Relocation Externality," NBER Working Papers 19356, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    6. Takatsuka, Hajime & Zeng, Dao-Zhi, 2016. "Nontariff protection without an outside good," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 65-78.
    7. Kyle Bagwell & Robert W. Staiger, 2016. "The Design of Trade Agreements," NBER Working Papers 22087, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    8. Arnaud Costinot & Andrés Rodríguez-Clare & Iván Werning, 2016. "Micro to Macro: Optimal Trade Policy with Firm Heterogeneity," NBER Working Papers 21989, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    9. David De Remer, 2013. "Domestic Policy Coordination in Imperfectly Competitive Markets," Working Papers ECARES ECARES 2013-46, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    10. David R. DeRemer, 2016. "The Principle of Reciprocity in the 21st Century," IEHAS Discussion Papers 1613, Institute of Economics, Centre for Economic and Regional Studies, Hungarian Academy of Sciences.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    home market effect; terms of trade; tariffs and subsidies;

    JEL classification:

    • F12 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Models of Trade with Imperfect Competition and Scale Economies; Fragmentation
    • F13 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Trade Policy; International Trade Organizations
    • F42 - International Economics - - Macroeconomic Aspects of International Trade and Finance - - - International Policy Coordination and Transmission

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