This paper provides evidence that the reduction in applied most-favored nation (MFN) tariffs resulting from a decrease in preferential tariffs is restricted to (or significantly larger in) high-tariff members of preferential trade agreements (PTAs). This heterogeneous impact is observed only...

Using a detailed data set at the tariff line level, we find an emulator effect of multilateralism on subsequent regional trade agreements (RTAs) involving the US. We exploit the variation in the frequency with which the US grants immediate duty free access (IDA) to its RTA partners across tariff...

This paper provides evidence that the reduction in the MFN tariff resulting from a decrease in the preferential tariff is three times higher in high-tariff members of preferential trade agreements (PTAs) than in low tariff partners. This result lends support to the "building block" view of...