Teoretyczne skutki regionalnej liberalizacji handlu

Abstract

Regional liberalization of international trade takes place when a group of countries form a preferential trading arrangement, e.g. a customs union or a free trade area. They lower or eliminate their respective barriers on imports from each other but not on imports from the rest of the world. Such a liberalization affects mutual trade between member countries as well as trade between them and the rest of the world. The effects of a regional liberalization are presented on the basis of the theory of customs unions and are divided in two groups: short-time (static) effects and long-time (dynamic) effects. The former are connected with certain shifts in trade, production and consumption. The latter deal with adjustment processes taking place in opening economies. They are both beneficial and costly for the participating countries.