Impact of Aid for Trade on Trademarks Applications in Recipient-Countries

Abstract

The article assesses the effect of Aid for Trade (AfT) inflows on trademarks applications submitted by AfT recipient-countries’ residents. Based on a set of 59 AfT recipient-countries over the period 2002–2014, and using the negative binomial regressions approach, results show that total AfT flows exert a positive and significant effect on trademark applications. However, this positive effect is primarily driven by that of AfT for productive capacity building on trademark applications. The policy implication of these findings is that higher AfT inflows, in particular AfT flows for productive capacity building to recipient-countries would help trading firms submit a high number of trademarks applications, which would in turn contribute to promoting international trade in these countries.