Trade restrictions control and influence international trade in forest products, as they do for most products that cross international borders. They range from tariff to the less obvious, but often more complex, non-tariff restrictions. They can influence the level and pattern of trade, and the relative competitive situation of different countries. In many cases their effect can be substantial and they can have important consequences for both the exporting and importing countries.
The Uruguay Round of Multilateral Trade Negotiations which were officially concluded in early 1994 resulted in a number of changes, some substantial, to tariff levels, the type and level of NTBs and to the trading "rules" under which international trade takes place. The agreements reached will therefore have important consequences for forest products trade in the future. Many benefits will arise from the changes. An important question though is "how significant may they be, and who will receive them?".
FAO, under its Forest Products Trade Programme, has sought to shed some light on these difficult questions by commissioning this study. This report presents an assessment of the consequences of the Uruguay Round for forest products trade. It indicates the many areas where changes of importance to forestry have been made. More importantly, however, it attempts to go beyond this to the quantification of these effects. In this, it provides an overview for the main products and also information for the main markets. Of considerable importance is the separation of the effects on developed and developing countries.
The study was carried out for FAO by Dr. Edward Barbier of the Department of Environmental Economics and Environmental Management, University of York, United Kingdom. It was funded by the FAO Regular Programme, and was under the direct supervision of Dr. I.J. Bourke, of the FAO Forest Products Division.
Karl-Hermann
Schmincke
Director
Forest Products Division
Forestry Department
