Do non-trade provisions in EU trade agreements affect non-trade outcomes?

• Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies
• GGP: Global Governance Programme

In this webinar, Miriam Manchin and Matteo Fiorini will present research carried out as part of the RESPECT project that uses synthetic control methods.

EU commercial policy seeks to use trade (market access) as an instrument to achieve non-trade objectives. Has this approach been effective? Some of the economic literature using standard regression analysis techniques has found statistically significant association between EU trade agreements and non-trade outcomes, but such findings are not robust and do not indicate the direction of causality.

In this webinar, Miriam Manchin and Matteo Fiorini will present research carried out as part of the RESPECT project that uses synthetic control methods. The findings suggest an absence of robust evidence of a causal effect of including non-trade provisions in EU preferential trade agreements on indicators of non-trade outcomes. Alessandra Tucci (European Commission) and Michele Ruta (World Bank) will kick-off the discussion of these findings—and their potential policy implications. Ample time will be reserved for questions and comments from registered participants. The RESPECT consortium is keen to solicit feedback from practitioners and stakeholders with an interest in EU trade policy. 

N.B. This event is part of the consultations process of the RESPECT research project. Contributions to the discussion will inform the content of the RESPECT project's final report, which will include research findings and policy recommendations. The contributions are anonymous, as participants will not be identified by name or function. To learn more about the RESPECT project, please visit: http://respect.eui.eu/. For any questions concerning the consultations process, please contact: respect@eui.eu.