An Overview of Export Processing Zones: Selected Asian Countries

This paper surveys the literature on the performance of Export Processing Zones (EPZs) that have used benefit-cost analytical framework. Survey reveals that as industrial development proceeds, the gap between market and opportunity cost of labour narrow and the interest on EPZs tends to disappear. Interest on EPZs may hold only if the zones generate private profit to domestic shareholders. Recent policy measures of the World Trade Organisation may eventually result in lower rates of private returns and may possible threat to the existing and new EPZs.