The Global Financial Crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic were two major shocks to the world economy in the 21st century. In this study, we analyze the patterns of recessions and recoveries of 101 advanced and developing economies. We identify the turning points of recessions and expansions between...

Trade barriers can exist variably and are not just limited to tariffs. Based on a bilateraltrade model under international oligopolistic competition, we show that governments endogenouslydetermine red-tape barriers (RTBs), which are trade barriers caused by wastefuladministrative procedures. We...

We exploit a nationwide VAT rebate reform in China to study the impact of intranational trade barriers on exports and exporting firms. As a result of shifting rebate burden, the reform leads to greater incentives of the provincial governments to block the domestic flow of non-local goods to...

Market access is the most important liberalizing principle in the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS). It entails a general prohibition of quantitative restrictions, which however is conditional on commitments undertaken by Members in their respective Schedules of Commitments. Case-law...

The french fry was NOT invented in France, but in Belgium. This short paper, written in Dutch, describes the history of the french fry and explains why it's called the french fry despite being introduced to Americans in Belgium. Spoiler: the reason is that World War I soldiers in French-speaking...