Assessing barriers to trade in services in the MENA region

Date

2009

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Economic Research Forum (ERF), Cairo, EG

Abstract

The study performs a qualitative and quantitative analysis of barriers to trade in services in four MENA countries: Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Morocco. The analysis focuses on financial (banking and insurance), telecom (fixed and mobile) and transport sectors (air and maritime). This research offers a comprehensive view of barriers to trade in services as well as restrictions to market access and ongoing operations that affect domestic services suppliers. The study employs the Trade Restrictiveness Index methodology (TRI) which translates qualitative information on services barriers into an aggregated quantitative score by sector. Improving transparency can facilitate domestic political bargaining on service regulatory reforms.

Description

Keywords

MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA, TRADE REFORM, TRADE RESTRICTIVENESS, TRADE POLICY, TRADE BARRIERS, NON-TARIFF BARRIERS, BANKING, INSURANCE, TELECOMMUNICATIONS, AIR TRANSPORT, SEA TRANSPORT, EGYPT, JORDAN, LEBANON, MOROCCO, TRADE AGREEMENTS, MIDDLE EAST

Citation

DOI