Restrictions on Trade in Distribution Services

A staff research paper by Kaleeswaran Kalirajan on Restrictions on Trade in Distribution Services identifies and quantifies restrictions affecting domestic and international trade in distribution services - mainly wholesaling and retailing - in 38 economies, including Australia.

The paper also explores the price and cost implications of restrictions in food distribution services.

The paper finds that Belgium, India, Indonesia, France, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Switzerland and Thailand have the most restrictive regimes of the economies studied. Australia's trade in distribution services is relatively open when measured against a majority of economies.

The paper is part of a stream of Commission research to measure barriers to trade in services.