México: evolución económica durante 2006 y perspectivas para 2007. Abstract: Mexico: economic evolution during 2006 and outlook for 2007.…
For many countries, the acceleration of integration into the global economy and multilateral trading system provides an opportunity to access a wider range of goods and services as well as export markets, increasing their economic incomes, and improving the welfare of the citizenry. In particular, preferential trade agreements tend to increase export market access opportunities for the agro-industrial products of developing countries. While increased market access offers many opportunities for enhancing the economic growth of exporting countries, developing countries are often unable to seize…
In March 2010, negotiations aimed at enlarging the Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement (TPP) were launched. Nine countries from Asia, Oceania and the Americas currently participate in them. The United States, which in practice has assumed a leading role, has stated that this process has the ultimate goal of transforming the TPP in a platform for large-scale trans-Pacific economic integration. It has also expressed that the enlarged TPP should be a high-quality, 21st century agreement. For the current two Latin American participants (Chile and Peru), as well as for…
The papers included in this book can be categorized into four main groups. First, we review the usefulness of CGE models for policymakers and discuss the relevance of this tool for international organizations and governments. The second group consists of five papers that assess trade integration scenarios for Latin American countries, with a particular focus not only on macroeconomic indicators but also on socio-economic and welfare variables. The third group of papers presents applications of CGE models in two new areas: climate change and liberalization of services. The final paper offers a …
This study examines the options for Caribbean countries in pursuing development of their agricultural sectors given the changes taking place in the international economy. The most significant of these changes is the liberalization of the trading regimes for primary agricultural products, in particular banana, by the European Union. This has serious implications for small Caribbean countries that rely on exports of one or a few commodities and are unable to compete in free markets. However, countries could reposition their agricultural sectors to take advantage of export niche markets and/or g…
This survey provides an overview of the macroeconomic performance of countries of the Caribbean Development and Cooperation Committee (CDCC) for the year 2006 and their outlook for 2007. The report consists of three chapters. The first one provides a regional analysis of the main economic indicators from a comparative perspective. The second chapter deals with two selected topics of particular relevance for the economic development of Caribbean countries, namely remittances and migration, and natural resources dependency. The last chapter presents country briefs with the main macroeconomic dev…
El presente documento ha sido preparado por la Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL), con ocasión de la visita a su sede del Presidente de China, Xi Jinping, el 22 de noviembre de 2016. En él se abordan, desde la mirada regional, los principales desafíos que enfrenta China en el marco del proceso de reformas de su modelo de desarrollo, se presenta un panorama actualizado de las relaciones comerciales y de inversión entre China y América Latina y el Caribe, y, finalmente, se abordan las perspectivas y desafíos de la cooperación entre América Latina y el Caribe y China en lo…
Our Caribbean civilisation has been very much shaped by the sea. The evidence of this in our region abounds from time immemorial: the peopling of our Caribbean; its trading; its economy and commerce, ancient and modern; its daily living and eating; its culture and its thinking. All these facets of life and production have been moulded, even determined, by the sea. Yet, strangely our Caribbean civilisation has yet to reflect in public policy the real value and significance of the sea which joins us all. To be sure, each country in the region has its own ministry of fisheries but each m…
AbstractUsing a GTAP CGE model/database, this paper assesses the possible effects of a free trade agreement (FTA); between the MERCOSUR and the European Union (EU);. The study takes into consideration the most important recent free trade agreements signed among the Latin American countries, as well as the latest European Union enlargements. With a 2004+ benchmark base scenario where tariffs were updated by the addition of information on trade agreements just signed by Latin American countries, two different policy simulations are addressed: (i); full liberalization, (ii); liberalization exclu…
Abstract Trade between the Central American Common Market (CACM) and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) is very low. Only 0.2% of the two groups' trade is between them. A possible explanation for this might be a supposed lack of adequate transport services. This report analyzes if there exists a potential to promote inter-subregional trade by improving transport services. It is found that in fact there does not exist a lack of direct services. 17% of services that call in one of the subregions also call in the other. In addition, due to the increase in transshipment services, a…
The impacts of quota elimination under the Agreement on Textiles and Clothing (ATC) applicable since 1 January 2005 are already becoming apparent on Latin American and Caribbean countries' exports to the United States ; despite vastly different performances from country to country, the region as a whole experienced a reduction in market share, in contrast to a marked increase by China . In theory, if this rhythm of growth were to be sustained, the market share of United States imports from China in this sector could increase or even surpass the 50% mark in the next three years. …
Latin America and the Caribbean accounted for 22% of U.S. foreign trade in the first half of 2023, according to the recent document United States – Latin America and the Caribbean Trade Developments 2023 published by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC).…
In the late of 1990s, when use of the Internet began to spread to almost all of the activities undertaken by people and businesses around the world, Internet-based electronic commerce was expected to introduce revolutionary innovations in businesses, management and international trade. In particular, information-sharing with clients and the clients of clients, and coordination of business activities with trade partners based on shared information, or the so-called supply chain management (SCM), were expected to be introduced by firms in order to dramatically reduce business costs and establish…
Abstract As in other parts of the world, small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Latin America are important generators of employment while contributing to establishing certain social as well as regional 'equilibria' in the development process within the country. However, SMEs in Latin America are much less 'export-oriented'than their East Asian counterparts. SMEs in Latin America tend to produce import substitutes and non tradables while manufactured exports are still produced by large firms in relativelycapital-intensive ways. In contrast, many East Asian SMEs are…
La edición 2008-2009 del Panorama de la inserción internacional de América Latina y el Caribe se divide en tres capítulos. En el capítulo I se analiza la coyuntura económica internacional con una mirada de mediano plazo. Se presta especial atención a las variables que más pueden modificar el escenario global y afectar la inserción internacional de las economías de América Latina y el Caribe. Como ejemplo de los cambios que está generando o acentuando la crisis cabe destacar la creciente importancia de las economías emergentes, con el consiguiente impacto sobre las corrientes comerciales de la…
La CEPAL participa en panel “Incidencia y rendición de cuentas: ¿quiénes participan en la mesa de negociaciones comerciales?” en el Foro sobre Género y Desarrollo que se lleva a cabo en el marco de la Decimoquinta sesión de la Conferencia de las Naciones Unidas sobre Comercio y Desarrollo (UNCTAD 15)…
In this paper we estimate the fiscal implications of the free trade agreement signed between the United States of America and the five Central American countries of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Of the five possible effects on fiscal revenue (direct, indirect, elasticity, substitution and induced), in this paper we estimate the first three. The fourth effect is most likely negligible, whereas the estimation of the fifth one would be plagued by uncertainty, so we do not attempt it here. We use comparative statics to estimate the impact. We find the adverse …
The objective of this document is to analyse some of the main issues, effects and implications of the FTAA for Caribbean Community (CARICOM) economies. It also considers when relevant and for comparison purposes the cases of non-independent States. The document is divided into seven sections. Following the introduction, the second section describes, albeit briefly, the main issues that are found in the Free Trade Areas literature. The third section introduces the FTAA participants highlighting their economic and social disparities. The fourth section centers on the FTAA underlying principles …
This workshop organized jointly by the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and the University of Adelaide’s Institute for International Trade (IIT), with the generous financial support of the Australian Government’s Overseas Aid Program (AUSAid). The workshop, held at the ECLAC headquarters in Santiago from 26 to 28 March 2012, brought together experienced trade negotiators from Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and the eleven member countries of the Arco del Pacífico Latinoamericano group.…