The GATT's Starting Point

How high were import tariffs when GATT participants began negotiations to reduce them in 1947? Establishing this starting point is key to determining how successful the GATT has been in bringing down trade barriers. If the average tariff level was about 40 percent, as commonly reported, the implied early tariff reductions were substantial, but this number has never been verified. This paper examines the evidence on tariff levels in the late 1940s and early 1950s and finds that the average tariff level going into the first Geneva Round of 1947 was about 22 percent. It also find that tariffs fell by relatively more in the late 1940s and early 1950s for a core group of GATT participants (the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia) than they did for many other important countries, including the set of other (non-core) GATT participants.

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	Irwin, Douglas A., Bown, Chad P.
Format:	Working Paper biblioteca
Language:	English en_US
Published:	World Bank, Washington, DC 2016-04
Subjects:	TARIFFS, EQUIPMENT, CHECKS, ACCOUNTING, TARIFF RATES, WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION, TARIFF PROTECTION, TRADE NEGOTIATIONS, BILATERAL NEGOTIATIONS, INTEREST, ECONOMIC WELFARE, DUMMY VARIABLES, TRADE BARRIERS, EXCHANGE, TARIFF CHANGES, NATIONAL TREATMENT, TRADE FLOWS, DEMAND ELASTICITIES, TARIFF CONCESSIONS, FREE IMPORTS, ECONOMIC POLICY, TARIFF SCHEDULES, TRADE LIBERALISATION, TRADE POLICY ANALYSIS, TARIFF CUTS, TAX, TARIFF CLASSIFICATION, INFLATION, INTERNATIONAL BANK, PROTECTIONISM, TARIFF NEGOTIATIONS, TRADE AGREEMENTS, TARIFF POLICY, CONVERSION, DUTY FREE, TARIFF INCREASES, FOREIGN TRADE, IMPORT PRICES, TARIFF DATA, TRADE FORUM, TARIFF ACT, IMPORT QUOTAS, AVERAGE TARIFFS, NON-TARIFF BARRIERS, VALUE OF IMPORTS, TARIFF REDUCTION, CUSTOMS, TRADING, GLOBALIZATION, IMPORT PROTECTION, COMMERCIAL POLICY, TARIFF REDUCTIONS, BILATERAL AGREEMENTS, RETURN, INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION, ACCESS, INTERNATIONAL ECONOMICS, IMPORTS, TRADE POLICY, COUNTRY TARIFF, TRADE POLICIES, IMPORT TARIFFS, GENERAL AGREEMENT ON TARIFFS, COMMON MARKET, APPLIED TARIFF, TRADE WARS, TRADE DISTORTIONS, CONSUMPTION, TARIFF ON IMPORTS, INTERNATIONAL TRADE, TRANSPARENCY, FUTURE, CUMULATIVE EFFECT, DEMAND SHOCKS, TRADE ARRANGEMENTS, TRADE COMMISSION, CONCESSIONS, TARIFF ESTIMATES, EXTERNAL TARIFF, TARIFF BARRIERS, INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS, AVERAGE TARIFF LEVELS, MARKET, FOREIGN EXCHANGE, TRADE LIBERALIZATION, TARIFF LEVELS, AVERAGE TARIFF, CURRENCIES, INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS, ECONOMIC INTEGRATION, TRADE, GOODS, TARIFF SCHEDULE, TARIFF, REVENUE, WORLD TRADE, CHECK, TRUST FUND, MULTILATERAL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS, EXCHANGE CONTROLS, IMPORT VALUE, CUSTOMS REVENUE, TARIFF LINES,
Online Access:	http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2016/04/26279727/gatts-starting-point-tariff-levels-circa-1947 https://hdl.handle.net/10986/24223
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