Questions about EU aggregate/EU27 members & interpretation of tariff results

[Rau, Marie Luise]

Hello dear WITS team,

 

I have extracted tariff data for the EU aggregate – EU27 members as reporter and other countries as partner countries. I have some questions with regard to my query:

 

1)      What is the difference between the pre-defined country group: EU27 members and the European Union (listed as a single country or here entity); the results of the two as a reporter or partner are different.

2)      The tariff data of the EU27 members being reporter and partner is not zero, but there are no tariffs between EU member states due to EU free trade.

3)      Looking at the tariff results for EU27 member and individual member reporter and the same partner country/exporting country, for example the Netherlands (NL), results are different: for weighted average: this is clear as the different trade values influences the result. Should it be equal for the results of the simple averages?

Interpretation of tariff results:

 

1.       A general question: how to use and interpret the values of the sum of squared rates?

2.       In the report of results of an advanced query: I see AHS, BND, PRF  - is the interpretation correct as ad valorem rates in terms of percentage of the product?

3.       I selected all types of duties in the query, for the calculation, I selected AVE method UNCTAD 1, but  I cannot see the AVE rates in the results. Where do I find estimates of AVE for the EU27 members (reporting) and say specific partner country, e.g. US?

4.       Is the specific info about TRQs? Where to find TRQ data?

Thanks for your time. I look forward to hearing from you.

 

Regards, Marie.

 

 

 

Marie-Luise Rau

International Trade and Markets

LEI Wageningen UR

 PO Box 29703, 2502 LS The Hague Alexanderveld 5, 2585 DB The Hague

T: +31-70-3358197

F: +31-70-3358196

 

[Hiroaki Kuwahara]

1) What is the difference between the pre-defined country group:
EU27 members and the European Union (listed as a single country or
here entity); the results of the two as a reporter or partner are
different.

For tariff, we treat EU as a single market having a single tariff.
Therefore, we do not record individual tariff schedules of EU
members. However, as some members joined EU after the creation of
TRAINS database in 1988, their tariff schedules are in the database
for years prior to joining EU. If you choose “EU 27 members” as a
group reporter, what you get are the average tariff of those
countires.

2) The tariff data of the EU27 members being reporter and
partner is not zero, but there are no tariffs between EU member states
due to EU free trade.

For the same reason above

3) Looking at the tariff results for EU27 member and individual
member reporter and the same partner country/exporting country, for
example the Netherlands (NL), results are different: for weighted
average: this is clear as the different trade values influences the
result. Should it be equal for the results of the simple averages?

I am not sure how you get the tariff of the Netherland, as it should
not be recorded at all. In general, simple average may also differ
for the two countries having identical tariff schedules, as the
average is only of traded products. (Except when you ask for applied
MFN rate with “world” as partner, in which case you get simple average
rates across all selected products regardless of whether they are
traded or not)

Interpretation of tariff results:
1. A general question: how to use and interpret the values of
the sum of squared rates?

This is used as input into calculation variance and standard
deviations.

2. In the report of results of an advanced query: I see AHS,
BND, PRF - is the interpretation correct as ad valorem rates in terms
of percentage of the product?

Percentage of “Price”. AHS gives the lowest applied tariff rates,
considering both MFN and preferential rates. BND is the WTO bound
rate average. PRF gives only the average of preferential rates if any
(no results if there is no preference given for the selected products)

3. I selected all types of duties in the query, for the
calculation, I selected AVE method UNCTAD 1, but I cannot see the AVE
rates in the results. Where do I find estimates of AVE for the EU27
members (reporting) and say specific partner country, e.g. US?

AVEs are available only up to 2009 for now. You can see the detailed
AVEs in Quick Search  TRAINS View and Export Raw Data and select AVE
from the Data Type

4. Is the specific info about TRQs? Where to find TRQ data?
Thanks for your time. I look forward to hearing from you.

No data on TRQ for EU are available in recent years. The last time we
obtained that information was in 2000, which you can also see in the
Quick Search under the same module. TRQ rates are separately recorded
in EU with (TQ) in the measure description.