Transcript Slide 1
The Dynamic Environment of International Trade Learning Objectives • The basis for the reestablishment of world trade following World War II • The importance of balance-of-payment figures to a country’s economy • The effects of protectionism on world trade • The seven types of trade barriers • The provisions of the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act • The importance of GATT and the World Trade Organization • The emergence of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group 2-2 Top Ten 2004 U.S. Trading Parnters ($ billions, merchandise trade) • Insert Exhibit 2.1 2-4 Balance of Payments • • • • Transactions recorded yearly Must always be in balance A record of condition, not determinant of condition A Balance of Payments statement includes three accounts: - Current account - Capital account - Reserves account Balance of Payments is the system of accounts that records a nation’s international finance transactions. 2-9 U.S. Current Account by Major Components, 2002 ($ billions) 2 - 10 United States Current Account Balance (% of GDP) 2 - 11 What Would One U.S. Dollar Buy? • Insert Exhibit 2.5 2 - 12 Trade Barriers • • • • • Tariffs Quotas Voluntary Export Restraints Boycotts and Embargoes Monetary Barriers - Blocked currency - Differential exchange - Government approval • Standards • Antidumping Penalties 2 - 14 The Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act • Designed to deal with trade deficits, protectionism, and the overall fairness of our trading partners. • The bill covers three areas considered critical in improving U.S. trade: - Market access - Export expansion - Import relief • Four ongoing activities to support the growth of international trade: - GATT - The associated World Trade Organization (WTO) - International Monetary Fund (IMF) - The World Bank Group 2 - 15 General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade • Paved the way for the first effective worldwide tariff agreement. • Basic Elements of the GATT: - Trade shall be conducted on a nondiscriminatory basis - Protection shall be afforded domestic industries through customs tariffs, not through such commercial measures as import quotas - Consultation shall be the primary method used to solve global trade problems. • Eliminating barriers to international trade (Uruguay Round): - The General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) - Trade-Related Investment Measures (TRIMs) - Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs) 2 - 16 World Trade Organization • An institution, not an agreement as was GATT • Sets many rules governing trade between its 148 members • Provides a panel of experts to hear and rule on trade disputes between members. • Issues binding decisions • All member countries will have equal representation • For the first time, member countries, will undertake obligations to open their markets and to be bound by the rules of the multilateral trading system. • Trouble with U.S. ratification: - Concern for the possible loss of sovereignty over its trade laws to WTO - The lack of veto power - The role the U.S. would assume when a conflict arises over an individual state’s laws that might be challenged by a WTO member. • Skirting the Spirit of GATT and WTO 2 - 17 The International Monetary Fund • Created to assist nations in becoming and remaining economically viable. • Objectives of the IMF: - Stabilization of foreign exchange rates - Establishment of freely convertible currencies to facilitate the expansion and balanced growth of international trade • Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) - “paper gold” 2 - 18 The World Bank Group • Institution that has as its goal the reduction of poverty and the improvement of living standards by promoting sustainable growth and investment in people. • The World Bank has five institutions each of which performs the following services: - Lending money to the government of developing countries - Providing assistance to governments for developmental projects to the poorest developing countries. - Lending directly to the private sector - Providing investors with investment guarantees against “noncommercial risk.” - Promoting increased flows of international investment 2 - 19 Summary • The benefits from absolute or comparative advantage clearly can accrue to any nation. • Increased pressure for protectionism from every region of the globe. • The consumer seldom benefits from such protection. • Free international markets help underdeveloped countries become self-sufficient. • Freer trade will always be partially threatened by various governmental and market barriers that exist or are created for the protection of local businesses. • The future of open global markets lies with the controlled and equitable reduction of trade barriers. 2 - 21