Estimation of service sectors restrictiveness in the MENA region

Date

2009

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Economic Research Forum (ERF), Cairo, EG

Abstract

The objective of this article is to estimate tax equivalents of barriers in the banking, telecom, insurance and transport sectors of four MENA countries: Egypt, Jordan, Morocco and Lebanon. It describes the methodology used for computing the tax equivalent in different sectors; provides a descriptive statistical analysis of the banking and telecom sectors, and presents the econometric analysis of trade restrictiveness index (TRIs) economic impact, and a tax equivalent computation. The TRI translates qualitative information on services regulations into an aggregated quantitative score by sector. The analysis identifies the impact of restrictions on general service provision, not just trade in services, thus the term ‘tax equivalent’ and not ‘tariff’ equivalent is used.

Description

Keywords

FOREIGN TRADE, BANKING, INSURANCE, TELECOMMUNICATIONS, AIR TRANSPORT, SEA TRANSPORT, TRADE BARRIERS, ECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS, EGYPT, JORDAN, LEBANON, MOROCCO, MATHEMATICAL MODELS, ECONOMETRIC ANALYSIS, TRADE AGREEMENTS, TARIFF POLICY, MIDDLE EAST, NORTH OF SAHARA

Citation

DOI