New Evidence on Preference Utilization
New Evidence on Preference Utilization
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关于偏好利用的新证据
DOI：
10.2139/ssrn.2144118
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发表时间：
2012
期刊：
影响因子：
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通讯作者：
A. Lendle
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Alexander Keck;A. Lendle
我们分析了四个主要进口国（澳大利亚、加拿大、欧盟和美国）的优惠利用程度，并提供证据表明优惠的使用比以前想象的更广泛。对于澳大利亚和加拿大，我们已经获得了迄今为止尚未公开的关于优惠制度进口的新数据集。对于欧盟和美国，我们使用了比以前文献中使用的更多的分类数据。我们对决定利用率的因素进行了实证测试。与先前的研究一致，我们发现利用率随着优惠幅度和出口量的增加而增加，这表明使用优惠可能是昂贵的。然而，我们也发现利用率通常非常高，即使是非常小的优惠利润和/或非常小的贸易流量，这与许多平均合规成本高达2-6%的估计相矛盾。我们在数据和方法问题上扩展了现有文献。特别是，我们构建了伪事务级数据，使我们能够更精确地评估何时使用了可用的首选项。使用这种方法，我们可以对决定利用率的因素进行更实际的估计。我们的研究结果表明，利用成本不是构成贸易价值的一个百分比份额，而是涉及一个重要的固定成本因素。我们提供了这类固定成本的估算，大概在14美元到1500美元之间。
We analyse the degree of preference utilization in four major importing countries (Australia, Canada, EU and US) and provide evidence that preferences are more widely used than previously thought. For Australia and Canada, we have obtained a new dataset on imports by preferential regime that has so far not been publicly available. For the EU and US, we make use of more disaggregated data than previously used in the literature. We empirically test what determines utilization rates. In line with previous studies, we find that utilization increases with both the preferential margin and the volume of exports, suggesting that using preferences can be costly. However, we also find that utilization rates are often very high, even for very small preferential margins and/or very small trade flows, which contradicts numerous estimates that average compliance costs are as high as 2-6%. We extend the existing literature in relation to both data and methodological issues. In particular, we construct pseudo transaction-level data that allows us to assess more precisely when available preferences are utilized. Using this methodology, we obtain a more realistic estimate of what determines utilization. Rather than constituting a percentage share of the trade value, our findings indicate that utilization costs involve an important fixed cost element. We provide estimates for such fixed costs, which appear to be in the range of USD 14 to USD 1,500.