Reducing Trade Costs in Asia-Pacific Developing Countries

This publication evaluates the current level of trade costs in the Asia-Pacific region and outlines recent evidence with regard to the impacts of various trade facilitation measures in reducing trade costs. Part I provides an overview of trade costs in Asia and the Pacific, based on the most recent update of the ESCAP-World Bank Trade Cost Database. Policies and factors affecting international trade costs are identified. Key findings and implications from a micro-level analysis of trade procedures in a wide range of Asia-Pacific developing economies are presented. Highlights and recommendations from some of the most recent ESCAP studies on trade facilitation and trade costs in Asia-Pacific are also summarized. Part II features abbreviated versions of five individual ESCAP studies summarized in Part I