{
  "title": "Exports in a Tariff-Free Environment: What Structural Reforms Matter? Evidence from the European Union Single Market",
  "publication": "IMF Working Papers, August 3, 2015",
  "sourceUrl": "https://www.imf.org/en/publications/wp/issues/2016/12/31/exports-in-a-tariff-free-environment-what-structural-reforms-matter-evidence-from-the-43164",
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  "summary": "How do countries enhance their exports of goods in a largely tariff-free environment? Our investigation of export performance of new member states in the European Union single market, which provides a natural control for barrier-free environment, points to the importance of structural reforms, parti",
  "sections": [
    {
      "heading": "Summary findings",
      "content": "- Investigation focuses on export performance of new member states in the European Union single market, which serves as a natural control for a barrier-free environment.\n- Structural reforms are highlighted as key drivers of export performance, particularly:\n  - higher education,\n  - skills upgrade,\n  - wage structure’s ability to provide incentives to work,\n  - foreign investment environment.\n- Establishing links with supply chains is important and depends additionally on:\n  - better institutions,\n  - better infrastructure.\n- New member states are at varying levels of quality and integration, implying the need for country-specific policy priorities.\n- Services trade in the EU market faces significant non-tariff barriers even after the implementation of the Services Directive, indicating considerable room for growth given comparative advantages of some new member states."
    },
    {
      "heading": "Policy implications and recommendations",
      "content": "- Prioritize structural reforms in:\n  - higher education systems to improve human capital,\n  - skills upgrading to match export sector needs,\n  - wage-setting mechanisms to strengthen work incentives,\n  - improving the foreign investment environment to attract FDI.\n- Strengthen institutions and infrastructure to facilitate integration into supply chains.\n- Design country-specific reform agendas reflecting differing levels of export quality and integration across new member states.\n- Address non-tariff barriers in services to unlock service export potential, acknowledging remaining impediments despite the Services Directive."
    },
    {
      "heading": "Additional analysis highlights",
      "content": "- The single market environment provides a controlled context to isolate the role of structural reforms on exports in largely tariff-free settings.\n- Comparative advantage in services for some new member states suggests targeting services-sector reforms could yield export gains.\n\n---\n\n Content in this bundle\n\n- Wp15187\n  - Wp15187 (Markdown version){rel=\"alternate\" type=\"text/markdown\"}\n  - Wp15187 (PDF){rel=\"external\" type=\"application/pdf\"}\n\n---\n\nSource: https://www.imf.org/en/publications/wp/issues/2016/12/31/exports-in-a-tariff-free-environment-what-structural-reforms-matter-evidence-from-the-43164"
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    "[Markdown version](/en/publications/wp/issues/2016/12/31/exports-in-a-tariff-free-environment-what-structural-reforms-matter-evidence-from-the-43164/index.md)",
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    "Authors: Jesmin Rahman, Ara Stepanyan, Jessie Yang, Li Zeng",
    "Published: August 3, 2015",
    "Series: IMF Working Papers",
    "DOI: https://doi.org/10.5089/9781513552170.001",
    "Investigation focuses on export performance of new member states in the European Union single market, which serves as a natural control for a barrier-free environment.",
    "Structural reforms are highlighted as key drivers of export performance, particularly:",
    "Establishing links with supply chains is important and depends additionally on:",
    "New member states are at varying levels of quality and integration, implying the need for country-specific policy priorities.",
    "Services trade in the EU market faces significant non-tariff barriers even after the implementation of the Services Directive, indicating considerable room for growth given comparative advantages of some new member states.",
    "Prioritize structural reforms in:",
    "Strengthen institutions and infrastructure to facilitate integration into supply chains.",
    "Design country-specific reform agendas reflecting differing levels of export quality and integration across new member states.",
    "Address non-tariff barriers in services to unlock service export potential, acknowledging remaining impediments despite the Services Directive.",
    "The single market environment provides a controlled context to isolate the role of structural reforms on exports in largely tariff-free settings.",
    "Comparative advantage in services for some new member states suggests targeting services-sector reforms could yield export gains.",
    "**Wp15187**"
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