Government Procurement: Market Access, Transparency, and Multilateral Trade Rules

30 Pages Posted: 18 Dec 2003

See all articles by Simon J. Evenett

Simon J. Evenett

University of Oxford - Said Business School; Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

Bernard Hoekman

European University Institute - Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies (RSCAS); Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR); Economic Research Forum (ERF)

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Date Written: November 2003

Abstract

The effects on national welfare and on market access of two public procurement practices, discrimination and non-transparency, are examined. Both policies have become prominent in international trade negotiations, such as the ongoing Doha Round of WTO trade talks. Our analysis shows that fostering either domestic competition or transparency in state contracting tends to improve welfare. In contrast, we find no clear-cut effect on market access of ending discrimination or improving transparency. This mismatch between market access and welfare effects may account for the slower progress in negotiating procurement disciplines in trade agreements than for traditional border measures such as tariffs.

JEL Classification: F13, H57

Suggested Citation

Evenett, Simon J. and Hoekman, Bernard, Government Procurement: Market Access, Transparency, and Multilateral Trade Rules (November 2003). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=480302

Simon J. Evenett (Contact Author)

University of Oxford - Said Business School ( email )

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Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

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Bernard Hoekman

European University Institute - Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies (RSCAS) ( email )

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Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

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