Transparency in Non-tariff Measures: An International Comparison

The growing literature on trade has proven that transparency has positive effects on trade and investment. This is particularly important in non-tariff measures, which are often criticized for their lack of transparency and their hidden protectionism. Through a combination of off-the-shelf data and an experiment, a new index of transparency shows that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) score well compared to other developing countries. Singapore is ranked the highest among ASEAN countries and 12th in the world. The other ASEAN countries - Indonesia, Lao PDR, Thailand, and Brunei Darussalam - are among the top 50 in the world.

ERIA-PB-2017-06