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Will Economic Partnership Agreements increase poverty? The case of Uganda

Author

Listed:
  • Ole Boysen

    (Agricultural and Food Policy, University of Hohenheim
    Institute for International Integration Studies, Trinity College Dublin)

  • Alan Matthews

    (Department of Economics, Trinity College Dublin
    Institute for International Integration Studies, Trinity College Dublin)

Abstract

Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) between the EU and ACP countries are frequently criticized because of fears about negative implications for economic development. Using Uganda as a case study, this paper employs an integrated macro-micro framework rich in household-level detail to assess the consequences of the East African Community EPA for economic output and poverty. Simulations of the agreement's tariff liberalization provisions indicate very minor negative economic and poverty impacts mostly affecting the rural poor. The poverty results depend in size and direction on the way the government addresses tariff revenue losses and on labor market assumptions.

Suggested Citation

  • Ole Boysen & Alan Matthews, 2015. "Will Economic Partnership Agreements increase poverty? The case of Uganda," Trinity Economics Papers tep0315, Trinity College Dublin, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:tcd:tcduee:tep0315
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    File URL: https://www.tcd.ie/Economics/TEP/2015/TEP0315.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Isabel Teichmann, 2016. "CGE-Based Methods to Measure the Impact of Trade Liberalization on Poverty," DIW Roundup: Politik im Fokus 100, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research.
    2. Edward J. Balistreri & Maryla Maliszewska & Israel Osorio-Rodarte & David G. Tarr & Hidemichi Yonezawa, 2016. "Poverty and Shared Prosperity Implications of Reducing Trade Costs Through Deep Integration in Eastern and Southern Africa," Working Papers 2016-07, Colorado School of Mines, Division of Economics and Business.
    3. Edward J Balistreri & Maryla Maliszewska & Israel Osorio-Rodarte & David G Tarr & Hidemichi Yonezawa, 2018. "Poverty, Welfare and Income Distribution Implications of Reducing Trade Costs Through Deep Integration in Eastern and Southern Africa," Journal of African Economies, Centre for the Study of African Economies, vol. 27(2), pages 172-200.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Economic Partnership Agreements; Uganda; poverty; trade liberalization; computable general equilibrium; microsimulation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D58 - Microeconomics - - General Equilibrium and Disequilibrium - - - Computable and Other Applied General Equilibrium Models
    • F14 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Empirical Studies of Trade
    • O10 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - General
    • O55 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Africa

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