1. 1 Overview of Tariff Liberalization and World Trade for ITA Products, 1996-2005 K. Michael Finger Counsellor Economic Research and Statistics Division World Trade Organization Geneva, Switzerland

2. 2 K. Michael Finger, WTO ITA Symposium, 28-29 March, 2007 Outline of the presentation Methodology issues Methodology issues Tariff information Tariff information Trade information Trade information Summary Summary

3. 3 K. Michael Finger, WTO ITA Symposium, 28-29 March, 2007 Sources, Methods, Definitions Tariff information: Tariff information: WTO IDB Database WTO Dataset ITA commitments Trade information: Trade information: UN, Comtrade Database Product definition: Product definition: Singapore Declaration Annex (WT/Min/96(8) including Attachment B products Type of trade: General trade including re-exports Type of trade: General trade including re-exports EU(15) intra-trade is excluded

4. 4 K. Michael Finger, WTO ITA Symposium, 28-29 March, 2007 Share of IT products in world exports, 2005 Share of IT products in world exports a, 2005

5. 5 K. Michael Finger, WTO ITA Symposium, 28-29 March, 2007 Base and applied tariff rates for ITA products, 1996 (Percent)

6. 6 K. Michael Finger, WTO ITA Symposium, 28-29 March, 2007 Share of ITA tariffs in duty free tariffs a

7. 7 K. Michael Finger, WTO ITA Symposium, 28-29 March, 2007 The expansion of world exports of IT products, 1996-2006

8. 8 K. Michael Finger, WTO ITA Symposium, 28-29 March, 2007 The expansion of world exports of IT products and other manufactures, 1996-2005 (Indexes, 1996=100)

9. 9 K. Michael Finger, WTO ITA Symposium, 28-29 March, 2007 US import prices of IT products a, 1995-2005 (Indexes, 1996=100)

10. 10 K. Michael Finger, WTO ITA Symposium, 28-29 March, 2007 Product structure of world exports of IT products, 1996-2005

11. 11 K. Michael Finger, WTO ITA Symposium, 28-29 March, 2007 World trade of IT products by region, 2005

12. 12 K. Michael Finger, WTO ITA Symposium, 28-29 March, 2007 Leading exporters of IT products, 1996 and 2005

13. 13 K. Michael Finger, WTO ITA Symposium, 28-29 March, 2007 Leading importers of IT products, 1996 and 2005

14. 14 K. Michael Finger, WTO ITA Symposium, 28-29 March, 2007 Summary and conclusions Today about 93% of IT products are imported duty free Today about 93% of IT products are imported duty free Tariffs have been reduced to zero from about 4% in developed countries; more important tariff cuts in developing counties Tariffs have been reduced to zero from about 4% in developed countries; more important tariff cuts in developing counties IT products account for a very large part of world trade IT products account for a very large part of world trade Trade in IT products expands faster than trade in other goods Trade in IT products expands faster than trade in other goods Broad product composition changed very little over the last decade Broad product composition changed very little over the last decade Major shifts occurred among principal traders. Asia (China) became more important on the exports and imports side Major shifts occurred among principal traders. Asia (China) became more important on the exports and imports side

15. 15 K. Michael Finger, WTO ITA Symposium, 28-29 March, 2007 THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION