Non-tariff Barriers Research Articles

Eliminating Non-tariff Barriers in the African Continental Free Trade Area: Lessons and Experiences from African Regional Economic Communities

Eliminating Non-tariff Barriers in the African Continental Free Trade Area: Lessons and Experiences from African Regional Economic Communities

Do customs and other trade regulatory barriers lead firms to bribe? Evidence from Asia

Corruption has become a big issue in the international trade environment with the increasing number of non-tariff barriers. The cost of corruption in customs administrations around the world has been estimated to be at least USD 2 billion. When stringent regulations become barriers to firms, they sometimes bribe government officials to get things done. Using firm-level data covering 11 Asian countries, this study sets out to quantify the impact of customs and other trade regulatory barriers on the firms’ decision to bribe. Endogenous treatment model has been accommodated to address possible endogeneity problems usually inherited in this kind of observational data. Results provide that in Asia, firms which experience difficulties with customs and other trade regulatory constraints are likely to pay more bribe amounting to 6.4% of their annual total sales than other firms. Enterprises which trust the fair functioning of their judiciary systems and enterprises with high productivity levels are less likely to bribe government officials to get things done. It is, therefore, necessary to implement policies to eliminate administrative inefficiencies especially in customs and minimize trade regulatory constraints to control trade-related corrupt practices.

IMPACTS OF MANDATORY STANDARDS POLICY AND SIGNING OF INTERNATIONAL MUTUAL RECOGNITION AGREEMENTS ON INDONESIAN IMPORTS

<p>The abatement of tariff obstacles led to an increase in the implementation of non-tariff barriers inglobal trade. Standardization policy plays a dual role in international trade as non-tariff barriers which can drive or inhibit trade. On the other hand, international organizations, such as ILAC and IAF, encourage their members to sign mutual recognition agreements to reduce technical barriers to trade. This study aims to investigate the extent to which mandatory standards policy and signing the international mutual recognition agreements influence Indonesian imports.This is a quantitative study by using secondary data, including: Indonesian import’s value, Indonesian tariff, Indonesian GDP, partner countries’ GDP, geographic distance, a dummy variable of mandatory SNI, and a dummy variable of MLA/MRA. This study observes the import value of 300 commodities that are required to comply with SNI from 103 trading-partner countries between 2007 and 2019. The gravity model is employed as an analytical tool, which is then regressed by utilizing linear regression with a product's fixed effect. A key finding of this empirical research is that mandatory standards policy has a negative link to Indonesian imports. Another crucial outcome is that though the mutual recognition agreement of the conformity assessment results has a positive correlation to Indonesian imports, it is not statistically significant. It can be recommended that the enforcement of compulsory SNI needs to be upward in the future in order to carry out the mandate of the law for consumers protection from an abundance of low-quality imported goods. Another recommendation is that the government could make optimal use of the MRA to be able to promote exports of Indonesia's main commodities to the global market.</p>

Pre-emptive Breeding Against Karnal Bunt Infection in Common Wheat: Combining Genomic and Agronomic Information to Identify Suitable Parents.

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is the most widely grown cereal crop in the world and is staple food to half the world’s population. The current world population is expected to reach 9.8 billion people by 2050, but food production is not expected to keep pace with demand in developing countries. Significant opportunities exist for traditional grain exporters to produce and export greater amounts of wheat to fill the gap. Karnal bunt, however, is a major threat, due to its use as a non-tariff trade barrier by several wheat-importing countries. The cultivation of resistant varieties remains the most cost-effective approach to manage the disease, but in countries that are free of the disease, genetic improvement is difficult due to quarantine restrictions. Here we report a study on pre-emptive breeding designed to identify linked molecular markers, evaluate the prospects of genomic selection as a tool, and prioritise wheat genotypes suitable for use as parents. In a genome-wide association (GWAS) study, we identified six DArTseq markers significantly linked to Karnal bunt resistance, which explained between 7.6 and 29.5% of the observed phenotypic variation. The accuracy of genomic prediction was estimated to vary between 0.53 and 0.56, depending on whether it is based solely on the identified Quantitative trait loci (QTL) markers or the use of genome-wide markers. As genotypes used as parents would be required to possess good yield and phenology, further research was conducted to assess the agronomic value of Karnal bunt resistant germplasm from the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT). We identified an ideal genotype, ZVS13_385, which possessed similar agronomic attributes to the highly successful Australian wheat variety, Mace. It is phenotypically resistant to Karnal bunt infection (<1% infection) and carried all the favourable alleles detected for resistance in this study. The identification of a genotype combining Karnal bunt resistance with adaptive agronomic traits overcomes the concerns of breeders regarding yield penalty in the absence of the disease.

A Possible Continental Free Trade Agreement in Africa for Trade Integration: The Perspectives Between Reality and Myth

With a view to intra-regional trade integration, African countries have decided to create an African Continental Free Trade Area (ACFTA) which should establish the rules and political guidelines necessary to promote intra-regional trade but the success of such political choice is conditioned by the degree of complementarity between the economies of these countries as well as their establishment in a win-win approach. In order to assess the prospects for the creation of the ACFTA and specifically on the Moroccan economy by integrating the specificities and potentials of African countries, the estimation of the potential has, however, shown the existence of a significant global potential for Morocco which can be exploited. To do this, the implementation of the ACFTA should allow the dismantling of tariff and non-tariff barriers under the condition of a great diversification of Moroccan products exported regionally which is necessary. The empirical study by integrating the gravitational model and economic variables for the period 2001-2019 on a sample of 50 African countries has made it possible to detect a potential to be exploited but the experience of failure of the already existing interregional communities presupposes a structural transformation of a commercial order, piloting by better diversity and integration of the production chain reinforced by good infrastructure and logistics, and of a political order by boycotting with historical factors and individualism for the benefit of a goal and a lucrative common identity for all countries.

РИСКИ НА ЗЕРНОВОМ РЫНКЕ СИБИРСКОГО ФЕДЕРАЛЬНОГО ОКРУГА: ПРИЧИНЫ ВОЗНИКНОВЕНИЯ, ИНСТРУМЕНТЫ И МЕТОДЫ УПРАВЛЕНИЯ

The article presents the factors that negatively affect the development of grain production and the grain market of the Siberian Federal District (SFD). The key types of risks that have a negative impact on the development of the grain market of the SFD are presented: production, market and social. The reasons for the emergence of agroecological, technological, innovative, macroeconomic, foreign trade, commercial and social risks in the grain market of the Siberian Federal District are determined. Macroeconomic risks are represented by external and internal risks. Effective tools and methods for risk management in the grain market of the Siberian Federal District are proposed. The applied tariff barriers (the average bound tariff) and their size, which are applied by the main grain importing countries of the SFD for the commodity group «Cereals», are determined. The countries-importers of grain of the SFD applying non-tariff barriers to the commodity group «Cereals» are presented. The forecast of grain production in the SFD until 2025 is given. The article draws conclusions and presents the volume of grain export from the SFD, which will be achieved as a result of the application of the proposed tools aimed at minimizing the negative impact of risks on the grain market and the development of transport and logistics infrastructure.

The effect of non-tariff barriers reduction on trade of Kazakhstan

This article examines the impact of non-tariff barriers (NTBs) reduction on Kazakhstan’s trade due to the creation of the Eurasian Customs Union (ECU) in 2010. The assessment of the effect of NTBs reduction was carried out using a dynamic gravity model and econometric PMG method. The synchronization of the system of phytosanitary norms and the approval of a unified system of customs regulation have reduced the cost of trade. These innovations have reduced NTBs between ECU countries, which should increase trade flows between countries.According to the model’s estimates, the reduction in NTBs increased Kazakhstan’s imports from the ECU countries by 33% but did not have a significant impact on exports to these countries. That is, on average, Kazakhstani producers benefited less from joining the ECU than producers in other CU countries. These results confirm the findings of reports of international organizations that because of the creation of the ECU, non-tariff barriers between countries have significantly decreased. Unfortunately, Kazakh producers have not been able to take full advantage of the benefits of joining the ECU, and although NTBs between countries have decreased, total exports to ECU countries have not increased. At the same time, the reduction of barriers between countries allowed entrepreneurs from other countries to increase their exports to Kazakhstan (Kazakhstan’s imports) by 33 percent.

The launch of the African Continental Free Trade Area

In 2018, 44 members of the African Union agreed to join a continental free-trade zone that, once operational, would create the largest market for goods in the world. Trading commenced under the agreement in 2021 with all but one African country agreeing (in principle) to participate. So far, however, few goods have changed hands under the terms of the agreement. Implementation problems include the fact that many states have not yet ratified the agreement, that a consensus has not been reached regarding customs documentation and rules of origin, that the quality of road and rail infrastructure on the continent is poor, and that non-tariff barriers to trade still persist.

An Empirical Study on the Effects of Non-Tariff Barriers on FTAs: Regarding Import Control Measures of the Target Country on Korea's FTA

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to analyze the effects of non-tariff barriers on the Free Trade Agreement. Currently, it has achieved significant export effects by signing free trade agreements with many countries in Korea. However, most countries have implemented non-tariff barriers to protect their industries. This study analyzes the effects of non-tariff barriers in counterpart countries that have signed a free trade agreement. Design/methodology/approach - For analysis, first, prior studies were summarized, and second, the current status of free trade agreements and non-tariff barriers were identified. And, based on the current situation, the relationship between non-tariff barriers and export volume was analyzed. The targets of analysis are the United States, China, and Vietnam, which are Korea s three largest exporters. As for non-tariff barriers, anti-dumping tariffs, countervailing tariffs, and emergency import restrictions were analyzed as import regulatory measures. Findings - In the case of the United States, it can be seen that the decline in textiles, steel and electronics sectors is even greater. In the case of China, it can be seen that exports declined after imposing non-tariff barriers in the steel sector. Finally, it can be seen that exports declined after Vietnam implemented a non-tariff barrier on the steel sector. It was found that non-tariff barriers offset the effects of the Free Trade Agreement. Research implications or Originality - Currently, Korea has free trade agreements with numerous countries. However, after the free trade agreement entered into force, the number of annual average import regulation investigations for Korean products is on the rise. In the end, the implementation of non-tariff barriers is offsetting the effects of free trade agreements. Therefore, when signing a free trade agreement, it is necessary to thoroughly prepare for import regulatory measures such as the insertion of provisions of non-tariff barriers.

Opportunities and Challenges for Vietnam’s Merchandise Exporting Following Vietnam-UK Free Trade Agreement

On December 29, 2020, the free trade agreement between Vietnam and the UK (UKVFTA) was officially signed. This is the next step in the Vietnam - UK trade relationship since the European Union - Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) no longer applies to the UK after December 31, 2020 because of Brexit. UKVFTA is a new generation, high-quality bilateral agreement aimed at the complete elimination of import duties and non-tariff barriers on goods of the two countries under a short schedule. The deployment of UKVFTA from the beginning of 2021 will ensure smooth trade in goods of the two countries, especially for essential goods in the complicated context of the Covid 19 pandemic. The paper analyzes and identifies new opportunities and challenges after the UKVFTA comes into effect, thereby proposing some solutions to boost Vietnam's exports to the UK in the coming time.

A Study on the Market Environment and Characteristics of Japan’s Mini Vehicles Industry

Purpose: In this paper, we analyzed the secrets of popularity, characteristics of users, usage status, and social utility of mini vehicles in Japan. The key points revealed on this basis are as follows. Research design, data, and methodology: Japan’s auto sales market was about 40% for mini vehicles, 55% for general cars and 5% for imported cars. Sales of mini vehicles were also in high demand, accounting for one-third of the global market. The number of mini vehicles owned exceeded 30 million units as of 2019, accounting for about 40% of the total number of cars owned. The main owner of the mini vehicles was “Women” and was an important means of daily transportation such as commuting and shopping. Results: Japan’s mini vehicles were manufactured to reflect social and cultural characteristics, making them a “non-tariff barriers” for foreign car makers. The biggest factor in the popularity of mini vehicles was “economic feasibility.” The cost of maintenance (taxes) and purchase of vehicles was lower than that of general cars. The next most important thing for consumers was the convenience of use, such as the convenience of driving narrow roads and parking. For people living in rural areas, mini vehicles were replacing public transportation. Therefore, mini vehicles were a valuable life line in rural areas. Implications: Mini vehicles were making huge contributions to employment. About 20% of the total auto production was mini vehicles, all of which were produced in Japan. The impact on road damage was also much smaller than that of general cars, contributing to social cost savings.

Bridging Two Asias: Bangladesh’s Diplomacy of Regional Cooperation and Bilateral Engagements

Bangladesh's geographical location between South and Southeast Asia gives it a unique potential to act as a crossroad between the two Asian continents. As a result, Bangladesh may be able to construct a free trade zone, which would need closer links between Bangladesh and all SAARC and ASEAN countries. Bangladesh is also attempting to retain its socio-economic standing, conducive to a seamless transition to middle-income countries, through participating in regional efforts and bilateral engagement with SAARC and ASEAN countries. Even if Bangladesh's business contacts with SAARC countries have increased in recent years, trade relations with ASEAN countries have favored them principally. Furthermore, most SAARC nations have not eradicated non-tariff trade barriers. Additionally, the lengthy processes of establishing free trade agreements with ASEAN countries, becoming an ASEAN Secretarial Dialogue Partner, and complex relations with Myanmar over the Rohingya repatriation crisis can all be considered barriers to Bangladesh's ambition of becoming a bridge between two Asias.

Economic Effect and Resolution Idea of the THAAD Political Conflict on South Korea’s Exports to China

South Korea deployed the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) antimissile system in response to North Korea’s nuclear test, leading to the Chinese government’s opposition to THAAD, citing national security concerns. Chinese consumers held a large-scale “boycott for Korean products” campaign in 2014. In the same year, the China–South Korea free trade agreement (FTA) was signed. This study compares the double-difference (DID) and triple-difference (DDD) models using the impact of the THAAD political conflict on South Korean exports. In the DID model, THAAD reduced South Korean exports, while in the DDD model, the FTA effectively alleviated the impact of THAAD. The net difference of the FTA’s impact on the commodities boycotted in response to the THAAD conflict exists because some boycotted commodities were promoted by the FTA while others were not. The effect of the THAAD event shock was significant only in the first two years, with minimal subsequent changes in growth. THAAD and FTA’s dynamic effects provide evidence of how political conflict can eventually influence popular opinion and how the trade policy plays a significant role in the national conflict resolution. Finally, the study provides additional evidence on the effect of non-tariff barriers triggered by THAAD on the service industry.

Consumer perceptions of hybrid electric vehicle adoption and the green automotive market: the Malaysian evidence

Compared to many developing countries, Malaysia has been far less successful in getting its citizen to embrace hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs). The study investigates the reasons behind this problem and offers a framework that could facilitate policymakers and stakeholders toward the electrification transition. Using the textual-based content analysis method, text-based articles and comments were extracted from a local reputable automotive news portal using a web scraper tool and analyzed using the open-coding technique. Surprisingly, environmental and greenhouse pollution issues did not emerge from our analysis—indicating that altruistic values and ecological consideration are not among the consumers' priorities when evaluating HEVs. Value proposition and risk aversion form the main themes, while national carmakers, competition, ambiguous policies, perceived unfairness in incentives distribution, and physical presentation constitute the minor themes. Overall, the consumers remain highly cautious and skeptical toward HEVs ownership proposition. This paper contributes to the existing literature by presenting a strategic framework for consumers' adoption of HEVs across Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The main message is that HEV adoption requires a firm political resolution from ASEAN governments to promote a fairer playing field within the region by complementing (rather than competing with) each other. By removing non-tariff barriers and providing incentives, the gradual growth of a sizeable and sustainable HEV customer base will potentially dispel existing consumers' negative perceptions toward these cars.

Impact of economic sanctions and counter-sanctions on the Russian Federation’s trade

Economic sanctions remain a popular tool in international politics and have drawn the attention of economists, policy makers and the public. In this study, we examine the impact of economic sanctions imposed by Western countries on the exports of the Russian Federation (RF) and the impact of counter-sanctions responded by the RF on its import. We use the data from 49 trading partners of the RF from 2011 to 2018 and employ a gravity modelling approach, which allows us to undertake differences-in-differences estimations to identify the causal effects of sanctions and counter-sanctions. We find that (i) economic sanctions against and counter-sanctions from the RF lead to declines in both aggregate export and import values of the RF. The sanctions cause a decline of 25.25% of the export values of the RF to, while counter-sanctions cause a decline of 25.92% of the RF’s import values from sanctions sending countries; (ii) the effects of sanctions and counter-sanctions are not homogeneous among export and import products. The sanctions severely affect the RF’s export of oil products with a reduction of about 36.56% of the export value while the effects of the sanctions on the RF’s export of non-oil products are insignificant. Meanwhile, the counter-sanctions cause a decline in the import value of agro products by 54.52% and a decline in the import value of non-agro products by 20.86%. The decline in export and import indicates that these non-tariff barriers are harmful to both the RF and the countries imposing sanctions.

RETRACTED: Government regulation of the Internet as instrument of digital protectionism in case of developing countries

The research is devoted to the study of digital protectionism technologies, in particular, Internet censorship as a non-tariff barrier to digital trade and the determination of the strategic motives of states to use them. The reports ‘Freedom on the Net’ and ‘The network readiness index 2020’ acted as a basic data source for the study of modern instruments of government regulation of interactions in the digital environment. Internet censorship technologies have been considered in six countries with varying levels of Internet freedom: Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Armenia and Estonia. The key instruments of digital protectionism as a non-tariff barrier of the digital economy have been identified, such as: localisation requirements; restrictions on cross-border data flow; system of national protection of intellectual property rights; discriminatory, unique standards or burdensome testing; filtering or blocking; restrictions on electronic payment systems or the use of encryption; cybersecurity threats and forced technology transfer. Internet censorship technologies have been demonstrated and their influence on the strategic development of trade relations between economies in cyberspace has been determined. The scientific value of the article lies in substantiating the understanding of Internet censorship as a natural tool for regulating the development of a digital society and international trade relations. Each state at one time goes through a technological stage of development, which leads to the emergence of different levels of digital isolation and integration; and Internet censorship is a natural element in the system of building a national platform economy and consolidating the country’s internal technological and innovative advantages in digital realities.

Hacia Elevar las Relaciones Económicas entre Indonesia y Argentina a Una Etapa Superior

Este documento intenta describir y analizar formas de fortalecer y elevar las relaciones económicas bilaterales entre Indonesia y Argentina a una etapa superior. El estudio revela que las relaciones bilaterales actuales siguen estando por debajo de sus potencialidades y con una intensidad comercial relativamente baja. La baja intensidad comercial puede deberse en parte razones clásicos entre otros como la gran distancia geográfica que ocasiona altos costos de transporte; la barrera lingüística; y la falta de información, interés y de contactos interpersonales. También, las medidas proteccionistas argentinas y el alza del déficit de la balanza comercial de por la parte indonesia, son los problemas principales actuales dentro de las relaciones comerciales bilaterales. Sobre la base de la estimación de TCI, aunque las exportaciones e importaciones de ambos países tienden a ser más sustitutos, aún hay un avance muy significativo de complementariedad comercial en los últimos años. Mientras que, para el escenario bilateral de libre comercio, el estudio revela que se espera que en Indonesia y Argentina los excedentes del consumo y el comercio aumenten a raíz del TLC bilateral, pero, sí reduce los ingresos arancelarios. Con base en los resultados, se puede concluir que hay muchas oportunidades para mejorar aún más sus exportaciones en función de su mayor ventaja comparativa. El documento sugiere que reducir las medidas proteccionistas, tanto los aranceles y las barreras no arancelarias (incluido la actual regulación de licencias de importación no automáticas) y realizar Indonesia-Mercosur PTA. El estudio revela que con la eliminación de las barreras comerciales ambos países obtendrán un mayor bienestar y el cumplimiento de los objetivos de ambos países para intensificar las relaciones comerciales bilaterales.

Analysis of India’s Competitive Position in RCEP

In the context of policy developments surrounding India’s opting out of Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and India’s lack of ventures in plurilateral regional trade agreements (RTAs), we attempt to analyse the competitiveness and potential of Indian export items in the RCEP region. Our findings show low export intensity for India with RCEP member countries. Higher revealed comparative advantage (RCA) and duty reduction in partner countries may help India in enhancing exports of only a few commodities. India has high RCA in commodities, for which the tariffs by RCEP countries are already moderate. Considering India’s present trade balance position, tariff structure, non-tariff barriers (NTBs) of partner countries, intellectual property rights (IPR) and export competitiveness of Indian commodities, it appears to us that India had limited options but to opt out of RCEP. While the members of RCEP are still open to accepting India, more needs to be worked out on building competitiveness for Indian commodities and the future strategy for negotiations, if India considers itself to be a part of RCEP in the future. Given its limited participation in regional blocks, India should identify its core areas of interest in goods and services where it can enhance its competitiveness and attain better trade performance using strategic bilateral negotiations and possibly exploit imported inputs to promote higher value-added exports.

Theoretical Understanding of the Specifics and Relevance of the RCEP Trade Agreement and Forging a New Path Based on the Digitalization of Trade and Investment in This Era. Will RCEP be the Road Map for the Future of World Trade?

The recently signed Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), considered of great significance, is not the first trade agreement signed by ASEAN member countries, or either any of their five (5) Free Trade Agreement (FTA) partners, China, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, and South Korea. But what makes this newly signed trade agreement between its participating countries unique and different from all other trade agreements signed in the past? Of interest, RCEP is currently the second major trade agreement with pronounced emphasis on Asia. Respectively, RCEP is now perceived as the world’s largest trade alliance, and is envisioned to facilitate economic trade integration in the Asian region. Correspondingly, the participating member countries have all agreed to reduce or completely eliminate tariff and non-tariff barriers on imports and exports within the free trade zone. Deciphered to be a milestone, RCEP is intended to link about thirty (30%) percent of the world’s population and output, which is expected will generate meaningful benefits. Given the continued rapid development of digital technologies in this era, it is certainly unavoidable if companies want to move forward in the future. This, most likely is one reason, why RCEP members included a chapter in the trade agreement relating to e-commerce and trade. Without a doubt, the tremendous impact of technology on the way economic activities are conducted worldwide has been a catalyst, forcing companies to redirect their businesses, to lean more towards the inclusion of technology in every aspects of their daily operation.Thus, as part of the continued development of digital technologies, it means the fifteen (15) Asia-Pacific members of RCEP has the added responsibility to play a vital role in facilitating the smooth integration of digital technology in this trade agreement, which clearly will be beneficial for all. Therefore, on what basis can this be made possible? On a whole, it is anticipated that the prospect of trade digitalization will reduce the cost of engaging in international trade and create opportunities for businesses and consumers regionally and globally. Today, many activities are increasingly conducted by way of digital technology. For example: Nowadays, people rely greatly on computers and mobile phones with internet to conduct research and purchase goods and services, in effect transforming the way we acquire and spread information, communicate, and conduct business in this twenty first (21st) century. Nonetheless, in what way and how can RCEP facilitate the digitalization of trade and investment in goods and services to make it advantageous to the region? Accordingly, within this context, this paper intends to explore the specifics and relevance of RCEP, and whether it is destined to be the roadmap for the future of reshaping world trade. Equally, how can trade digitalization facilitate the expansion of trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific region in this digital era?

AN EMPIRICAL INVESTIGATION INTO THE BENEFITS OF REGIONAL INTEGRATION FROM COMESA FOR ZAMBIA

Purpose: The world at large in the last three to four decades has shown greater impetus for regionalism, from Europe’s EU, South America’s MERCOSUR, Southeast Asia’s ASEAN, North America’s NAFTA and Africa’s numerous RECs among which eight are recognized as building blocks for the now AfCFTA among others. While for other parts of the world, the driving force to regionalism may be different, for Africa, Pan Africanism and African Renaissance have been the push forces behind regionalism. This study therefore took interest to look at the benefits of belonging to a REC, with the ultimate objective of empirically investigating the benefits of COMESA’s integration for Zambia’s growth for the period 1975-2017.Methodology: Using a variable that represented the presence of integration and time series data, the ordinary least squares (OLS) technique was estimated to establish significance and relevance of integration on growth. Findings: The findings among others revealed that the variable representing integration had no significant effect on long-run GDP growth, FDI and trade. However, it did have a significant effect on investment. On the other hand, the findings of the analysis of COMESA programmes being implemented in Zambia revealed that Zambia largely benefits from COMESA, citing among others the infrastructure development of four of the five border posts shared by Zambia and its neighbours.Contributions to theory, policy and practice: The study recommends that Zambia and indeed all COMESA Member States refrain from the use of Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs) and Technical Barriers to Trade (TBTs). Additionally, Safeguard Measures must be sought for countries seeking to protect their infant domestic industries and adherence to the NTBs and TBTs resolution framework under COMESA. These if unchecked have a potential of undermining the benefits Member States can obtain from COMESA integration.