This paper discusses the impacts of integration on productivity, specifically within regional agreements. The paper focuses on the economies of Brazil and Mexico and on their performance in the manufacturing sector. The authors estimate firm-level productivity and test its casual links with...

In this paper we present evidence suggesting that international migrant remittances generally lead to improved developmental outcomes. Using a cross-section of Mexican municipalities in the year 2000, we show that increases in the fraction of households receiving international remittances are...

The proliferation of free trade agreements around the world has accentuated the role of preferential rules of origin (RoO) in global companies¿ sourcing and investment decisions. However, there are few theoretical and practically no empirical analyses on the effects of RoO on foreign direct...

Este análisis presenta un diagnóstico y señala los principales desafíos y alternativas de política que Costa Rica ha de enfrentar en la actual coyuntura en relación con su proceso de integración económica con el mundo. También se señalan posibles apoyos del Banco para abordar algunos...

Ante Honduras se abren nuevos e importantes desafíos en materia de comercio e integración. Este informe busca brindar una fotografía del desempeño del sector externo de Honduras, fundamentalmente el comercial, con miras a identificar esos desafíos a la luz de importantes acontecimientos: la...

This paper briefly discusses some of the issues that must be grappled with when analyzing the impact that the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has had -and will have in the future- on the Mexican economy. Although discussion concentrates on the evolution of Mexico¿s economy and...

In this paper we survey the recent literature assessing the development impact of international migrant remittances. We begin by arguing that international migration should be fully incorporated in ongoing debates on the impact of globalization. We show that, despite methodological challenges,...

Suriname gained autonomy from Holland in domestic affairs in 1955 and full political independence in 1975. "Self-sufficiency" -particularly in economic terms- became a strong motif in Suriname politics thereafter. Yet the inward-looking development policies pursued by successive governments...

What are the main issues in Chile's trade agenda? This paper argues that the country's agenda does not lend itself to that traditional kind of policy advice usually given throughout Latin America. Protection is low and uniform, institutions that govern trade policy are strong and well protected...

Economic and political integration have been a perennial and neuralgic issue in the Caribbean agenda. This paper draws on the literature on trade, growth and regional agreements to discuss the motivation behind the Caribbean drive for integration, the results obtained so far and what is in stock...