Trade policy and facilitation in South East Europe

Open, predictable and transparent trade policies facilitate cross-border economic activities and idea flows. This chapter on the Trade Policy and Facilitation Dimension focuses on three sub-dimensions in its assessment of trade performance and policy development. The Trade Policy Development Sub-Dimension analyses government capacities for designing, implementing and evaluating trade policy that incorporates institutional co-ordination and public-private consultations. The Trade Liberalisation Sub-Dimension examines international agreements and domestic laws to determine how open an economy is to trade in goods and services. The Trade Facilitation Sub-Dimension describes the extent to which non-tariff barriers – technical barriers, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, administrative barriers, and non-automatic import licences – hinder trade.