We investigate impacts of deep economic integration between Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia constituting the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).

The absence of tariff barriers in bilateral trade opens opportunities for harmonization of NTBs. Policy measures aimed on NTBs reduction are in line with the integration agenda of the EAEU. We used a global CGE model with monopolistic competition (Balistreri et al. 2014).We find that effects of the deep integration are positive for all countries of the EAEU. Armenia’s accession to the EAEU will have a positive effect if coupled with decrease of non-tariff barriers. 

 

The effect of deep integration in the EAEU will be even greater with presence of a spillover effect reducing NTBs for EAEU’s major trading partners. Reduction of NTBs in trade with the EU and the USA is marginally better for the countries of the EAEU than comparable reduction of NTBs with China.

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This seminar has been jointly organized by FEEM and IEFE, Bocconi University.