Trade monitoring

This chapter evaluates the extent to which changes in tariffs and in international prices were transmitted into consumer prices in Tunisia over the period 2000– 2008. A pass-through equation is estimated using sectoral panel data at the retail product level and controlling for unobserved sectoral heterogeneity. The main results show that, on average, tariff pass-through (TPT) is 10 per cent and it varies across sectors. In particular, agricultural products seem to be driving the results. In summary, the change in Tunisian tariffs has affected local prices, but the effect is lower in magnitude than that found for other developing countries. This is in part due to imperfect competition and state interventions by means of subsidies and price controls that prevent the full transmission of changes in international prices. This research suggests that, for Tunisia, trade facilitation measures and sectoral actions to facilitate the business environment could positively impact on the passthrough effect and that reductions in border prices could have higher effects on retail prices, which, in turn, contribute to increase domestic welfare and generate inclusive development.

This second joint Review of Benin, Burkina Faso and Mali has allowed the TPRB to assess developments since 2004 in their trade and related policies, and to enquire about future priorities. I would like to thank Minister Diallo and the three delegations for their hard work in preparing for the Review, their written replies to the questions, and their full and open participation in this meeting. I am also grateful to our discussant, Ambassador Wasescha of Switzerland, for his farsighted observations.

En 2012, la División de Estudios Económicos y Estadística organizó 56 actividades, muchas de ellas en colaboración con otras instituciones. Cabe mencionar la presentación del Informe sobre el Comercio Mundial 2012, un seminario sobre tipos de cambio y comercio, la conferencia anual del proyecto de análisis del comercio mundial (GTAP), una publicación conjunta con la UNCTAD y una serie de seminarios en el marco del programa de talleres sobre comercio y desarrollo en Ginebra.