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Trade Barriers

Commentary

The Trump-Xi Meeting at G-20: Kicking the Can Down the Road

Much was expected of the discussion at the 2018 G-20 meeting in Buenos Aires between the United States and China on their ongoing trade war. However, nothing of significance emerged. With signs of a global economic slowdown surfacing earlier than expected, the failed outcomes of this meeting could come back to haunt world leaders.

Dec 14, 2018
Journal Article

Journal Article

The Impact of Trade Liberalization on Productivity: Evidence from India's Formal and Informal Manufacturing Sectors

This paper was first to consider the effects of India's tariff liberalization on the entire manufacturing industry, both small, informal firms and large, formal firms. The overall effect of the trade reforms is increased productivity in both sectors.

Sep 19, 2018
Commentary

The U.S.-China Trade War: Different Messages

The trade war between the United States and China began with the notification of tariffs on $34 billion of traded goods on each side. Officials on both sides of the Pacific are using different messages to convey the dispute. What are the real impacts likely to be?

Jul 20, 2018
Commentary

Why the EU Single Market Has Still Not Reached Its Full Potential

The EU Single Market aimed to promote intra-European trade, increase competition, create more jobs and make Europe more attractive to foreign direct investment. The economic benefits of the Single Market are clear, but closer integration requires political buy-in from individual member states and the EU.

Nov 8, 2017
Commentary

The Snap Election, What's in It for Theresa May?

Why would Theresa May take the risk of a national election, which otherwise wouldn't be needed until 2020, and what does she expect to gain from it? Calling an election now enables May to take decisive control of her party and should strengthen her hand in the Brexit negotiations.

Apr 23, 2017
News Release

News Release

Re-establishing Border Controls in Europe Could Cost Up to €3 Billion a Year

Re-establishing border controls across Europe would cost €2 to 3 billion in annual operating costs, plus fixed one-off costs of anywhere between €0.1 and €19 billion. There would also be significant social and political costs.

Oct 13, 2016
Commentary

Why Re-Establishing Border Controls in Europe Could Come at a High Cost

Reversing the Schengen agreement would come at a high economic cost, while undoing many of the positive social and political developments of the past decade.

Oct 13, 2016
Journal Article

The Costs of Reintroducing Border Controls in Europe

The Schengen Agreement in 1985 led to the end of border controls across 26 European nations. Reintroducing these controls would cost billions of euros in economic costs. Social and political costs would also be substantial.

Oct 12, 2016
Multimedia

U.S. International Economic Policies That Can Expand Strategic Options

In a fast-changing world, should the United States strengthen its links with the international economy or pull back? RAND Senior Economist Howard Shatz and Ambassador Michael Froman explore this question at the book launch for the latest volume in RAND's Strategic Rethink series. Ambassador Charles Ries moderates the discussion.

Jun 21, 2016
News Release

News Release

Strong Global Economic Engagement Is Essential to Maintaining U.S. Prosperity and Leadership Abroad

The United States stands to gain more from both strengthening global institutions and rules, such as those governing trade, direct investment, and development assistance, as well as engaging with the world's rising powers than from pulling back.

Jun 21, 2016
Research Brief

Charting the U.S. Role in the World Economy

The strength of America's economy supports the country's international power. That makes the next administration's economic choices among its most crucial.

Jun 21, 2016
Report

Strong Global Economic Engagement Is Essential to Maintaining U.S. Prosperity and Leadership Abroad

The United States stands to gain more from strengthening global institutions and engaging with the world's growing economic powers than from pulling back.

Jun 21, 2016
Commentary

It's Time to Reboot Our Relationship with Russia and Iran's Neighbors

In implementing the prospective Iran nuclear agreement, the West cannot forget its engagement in the vulnerable South Caucasus. The Iran deal changes the equation for all three countries and perhaps opens new opportunities.

Jul 28, 2015
Commentary

The Not-So-Full-Monti: Will More 'Europe' Lead to More Trade in the Internal Market?

Even though the internal market for goods is at a relatively advanced stage, there remains an untapped potential in the longer term. Barriers and regulatory obstacles continue to hinder the free movement of goods in the EU.

Oct 28, 2014
Report

Lack of Complete European Integration Costs Countries, EU

The removal of existing barriers to foreign direct direct investment and non-tariff trade barriers within the European Union could boost total intra-EU merchandise exports up to 7 per cent in the long-term. These effects would vary by Member State, and by sector of the internal market.

Oct 21, 2014
Commentary

U.S. Sanctions Against Myanmar Need to Go

Washington now has to ask itself whether its goals can best be met with these restrictions in place or whether it is time to recognize the fundamental changes that are taking place in Myanmar and forge a new relationship with its leaders based on full government-to-government relations, writes Peter Chalk.

Oct 2, 2013
Report

Report

The United States, Japan, and Free Trade: Moving in the Same Direction?

Assesses the factors contributing to the decisions by the United States and Japan to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership, and the meaning of those decisions for bilateral cooperation on trade expansion.

Apr 23, 2012
Commentary

Commentary

Our Misplaced Yuan Worries

To reduce the bilateral imbalances between China and the U.S. requires more carefully crafted policies than revaluation of the yuan, else the results could be perverse, writes Charles Wolf Jr.

Dec 15, 2007
News Release

News Release

Gift from Cyrus Chung Ying Tang Foundation Will Help Establish China Study Institute

The Cyrus Chung Ying Tang Foundation has donated $2 million to the RAND Corporation to establish the Tang Institute for U.S.-China Relations. The institute will work to improve policy discussions that shape relations between the U.S. and China on issues such as currency, labor and trade, and more.

Sep 19, 2007
Commentary

Commentary

Cost of Unleashing China's Currency

Congressional critics say China's undervalued currency is the root of the problem. While China's currency may well be undervalued, the fundamental causes of the job losses and the trade deficit actually lie elsewhere, write William H. Overholt and Pieter Bottelier.

Jul 13, 2007

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