New study examines impact of non-tariff measures on trade

AS INTERNATIONAL tariffs are reduced, the role of non-tariff measures (NTMs) is increasingly moving into the spotlight. While NTMs have been in place for some time, high tariff barriers have prevented trade and the non-tariff measures have therefore not been brought into play. “In some cases,” says the Trade Law Association of SA (tralac), “creative new barriers are being erected to replace the role of tariffs in protecting markets. Either way, the net result is the same: NTMs are important as they are restricting trade.” With this in mind, tralac in collaboration with Stellenbosch University’s Department of Agricultural Economics and the Centre for Chinese Studies (CCS), has undertaken research looking at NTMs inhibiting South African exports to China and India. The study provides a background on NTMs and some of the challenges that South African exporters encounter when trading with these emerging economies.