Gains from Trade in Used Goods: Evidence from Automobiles
33 Pages Posted: 29 Jul 2008
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Gains from Trade in Used Goods: Evidence from Automobiles
Date Written: July 2008
Abstract
I investigate the welfare effects of trade liberalization by exploiting a natural policy experiment in the economy of Cyprus. A 1993 law relaxed import restrictions on used vehicles and enabled the importation of second-hand Japanese automobiles into the country. This led to a dramatic shift of consumer purchases from new to used cars and a substantial expansion of the overall market. Welfare gains computed from a structural demand system average $2,000 per purchaser in a four year period after the policy change. The findings are suggestive of the potential for substantial gains from liberalizing trade in used goods.
Keywords: automobile industry, gains from trade, used goods, trade liberalization, Cyprus
JEL Classification: F14, L13, L92
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation
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