As tariffs continue to decrease worldwide, technical measures like sanitary and phytosanitary measures (SPS) and technical barriers to trade (TBT) have become relatively more important as potential obstacles to international trade. The literature has focused particularly on the potential obstacles arising from differences in national regulations, a situation known as … [Read more...] about Toward greater regulatory cooperation for trade
Juan Blyde
Juan S. Blyde is a Principal Economist in the Integration and Trade Sector of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). His career has focused on producing and coordinating economic research using empirical evidence to inform the design of public policies in areas related to international trade and economic integration. Prior to joining the IDB, he worked as an economist at the Congressional Economic and Financial Advisory Office of Venezuela and taught international trade at Andrés Bello Catholic University. Juan holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Colorado at Boulder and a bachelor’s degree in economics from the Andrés Bello Catholic University (Venezuela). His work has been published in various academic journals such as Journal of International Economics and Review of International Economics, among others.
Technical measures: the not so visible barriers to trade
When you buy a new TV, you don't expect to get an electric shock while plugging the cord into the outlet or burn your hand while handling the remote control. The truth is that no one expects to suffer a misfortune when they get ready to watch their favorite show or streaming series. That is why most countries in the world impose regulations on the marketing of many goods - not … [Read more...] about Technical measures: the not so visible barriers to trade
How are Global Shipping Disruptions Affecting Latin American Freight Rates?
In a recent blog post, we showed that shipping costs have substantially increased since the beginning of the pandemic and that such an increase was primarily associated with imports from Asia. In this new post, we explore whether and, if so, how such developments generated a domino effect on the transportation costs faced by Latin American and Caribbean countries … [Read more...] about How are Global Shipping Disruptions Affecting Latin American Freight Rates?
Promoting international telemedicine in Latin America
Francesc Saigí,[i] Imma Alberch,[ii] and Juan Blyde[iii] Over the past year, the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of new telemedicine services to improve people’s health. Likewise, social distancing measures, the lack of experts, and the large extensions of countries of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) drove the adoption of international … [Read more...] about Promoting international telemedicine in Latin America
Why Are Shipping Costs Increasing? What US Import Data Tell Us
The cost of shipping goods has risen rapidly during the past 18 months. The average freight rate of US imports, based on cargo value, has gained a full percentage point relative to pre-pandemic levels (see Figure 1).[1] The average freight cost of a global 40-foot container has increased more than five times since the pandemic started, with routes such as Shanghai-to-Los … [Read more...] about Why Are Shipping Costs Increasing? What US Import Data Tell Us