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Tariffs in world seafood trade

Year of publication 2006

Place of publication Rome, Italy ;

Pages 54 p.

Author Melchior, A. ;

Publisher FAO ;

Product type Book (series)

Series title FAO Fisheries Circular

Series number No. 1016

Synopsis (short abstract) Given that more than half of world seafood exports originate in developing countries, an objective in the current round of negotiations in the World Trade Organization (WTO) is to reduce seafood tariffs. This paper examines tariffs for seafood in 169 countries, covering most of world trade, and 143 out of 148 WTO members. Average applied tariffs for seafood in each country are mostly spread out between 0 and 30 percent, with a median at 14 percent. Weighted by the economic size of importing countries, the world average is 8-10 percent. For WTO members, only 60 percent of tariffs for seafood are bound - i.e. subject to upper bounds negotiated in the WTO. Bound tariff averages for seafood mostly range from 0 to 60 percent, with a median at 34 percent. Hence there is a considerable amount of "water in the tariffs"; as an example, a 40 percent proportional cut in bound tariffs worldwide may lead to a cut in applied tariffs of only 9 percent. Seafood tariffs are higher than tariffs for industrial goods; this is especially the case for applied tariffs. There is some tariff escalation with higher tariffs for processed goods, but the evidence on this is ambiguous. Preferential tariffs are of increasing importance in many countries, but some of the richest countries have low tariffs for all suppliers and this reduces the impact of preferences. For the European Union, Japan and some developing countries, however, preferences are important. Poor countries have, on average, higher tariffs and a lower extent of tariff binding than rich countries. There is, however, great heterogeneity, so there are also free traders among the poorest countries.

Cite this content as:

Melchior, A. Tariffs in world seafood trade. FAO Fisheries Circular. No. 1016. Rome, FAO. 2006. 43p.

Language English

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