Using a new, global data base covering the years 1950 to 2015, we study the impact of sanctions on international trade and welfare. We make use of the rich dimensionality of our data and of the latest developments in the structural gravity literature. Starting with a broad evaluation by sanction...

We document a hitherto overlooked stylized fact: countries’ external tariff schedules are surprisingly similar. The correlation is particularly striking for countries belonging to the same deep preferential trade agreement (PTA). We show that most of this is due to selection effects rather...

The negotiations between Japan and the EU over a free trade agreement are taking place during times in which global economic integration is increasingly questioned. With TTIP on hold and TTP no longer pursued by the US, a successful trade deal between two leading economic powers such as Japan...

When President Trump came into office the US administration launched a detailed analysis of American trade relations. It aimed to identify "unfair trade practices" that are supposedly increasingly being used by other countries, and that are economically damaging to America. This study simulates...

The global economic crisis in 2008 triggered a debate about increasing protectionism. Global leaders are increasingly under pressure to protect their domestic industries. The scope to increase tariffs is rather limited under the WTO regulations. In this study we analyze whether the latter...

When two countries conclude a free trade agreement (FTA), they define rules of origin (RoOs) to determine whether a product is eligible for preferential treatment. RoOs exist to avoid that exports from third countries enter the FTA through the member with the lowest tariff (trade deflection)....

When two countries conclude a free trade agreement (FTA), they define rules of origin (RoOs) to determine whether a product is eligible for preferential treatment. RoOs exist to avoid that exports from third countries enter the FTA through the member with the lowest tariff (trade deflection)....

Reportedly, firms often find it impossible to finance large and long-term projects despite positive net present values. Should governments step in and can their assistance be effective? This paper studies the case of public export credit guarantees in Germany. Covering the default risk of...