The Impact of Standards on Developing Country Exports

Abstract

This ten-day rapid review provides an annotated bibliography of empirical literature on the relationship between standards and developing country trade. The review has two objectives: (i) to present the state of the evidence on sectors in which standards are net barriers to developing country exports and sectors in which standards are net catalysts to developing country exports; and (ii) to assess the strength of this evidence and identify gaps. The focus of the review is public, voluntary standards as specified in the Terms of Reference.