Thurs., Dec. 7, 2023: AGI Seminar “Utilization of Japanese GSP scheme as a political and economic determinant of the utilization of Japan’s bilateral FTAs with Thailand and Malaysia” (online) [finished]

We invite researchers who are engaged in research on Asia and hold AGI Seminars. Your participation is more than welcome!

*This seminar will be online and free of charge.

*Please refer to the following for details.

Date and Time

Thursday, December 7, 2023 from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm
*A question-and-answer session is scheduled at the end of the presentation.

Presenter

Dr. Antonio POSTIGO, Research Associate & Visiting Fellow, London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), London, UK 

Title

Utilization of Japanese GSP scheme as a political and economic determinant of the utilization of Japan’s bilateral FTAs with Thailand and Malaysia

Abstract

Many works have examined the variables driving the formation of North-South free trade agreements (FTAs) between developed and developing countries. This study analyzes the determinants shaping their utilization in the contexts of their political economy and of Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) schemes that are unilaterally granted by developed economies to developing countries’ exports. Most of the goods liberalized through GSP are liberalized from early on in North-South FTAs; however, since FTA concessions are legally binding, goods that are excluded or only partially liberalized in GSP will be also excluded or protected in FTAs. As GSP schemes are subject to unilateral restriction/elimination by the developed country, exporters using GSP tariffs will lobby for the non-removable liberalization of their exports through an FTA and subsequently will have a high FTA utilization.
These scenarios result in North-South FTAs being used to a great extent to export goods covered by and exported through GSP, thus consolidating pre-FTA trade patterns. These arguments were tested by analyzing disaggregated and rarely accessed data on Thailand’s and Malaysia’s exports through the Japanese GSP and their bilateral FTAs with Japan, as well as interviews with key actors involved in the policymaking of these FTAs. Most sectors in Thailand and Malaysia that benefited from GSP lobbied for FTA liberalization with Japan. Goods previously exported through GSP account for most of FTA utilization and the previous use of GSP preferences has a higher predictive value of subsequent FTA utilization than FTA tariff savings.

Language

English presentation and material(s)

Presenter Biography

Dr. Antonio Postigo holds a PhD in International Development from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). He is currently Associate Fellow at the Institute of South East Asian Studies-Yusof Ishak Institute (ISEAS), Senior Research Fellow at Institute of International Studies-IBEI, and Visiting Fellow at the LSE. He has lectured at universities in the United States, Europe, and Asia and consulted for the United Nations, The World Bank, and several think tanks. His main research areas are macroeconomic policy and the comparative and international political economy of trade and economic integration, with a focus on East and Southeast Asia.

To Participate

1. Online Registration
https://forms.gle/B7ZV49u65VoKo5cg9

2. E-mail Registration
Please send us an e-mail at office@agi.or.jp with your name, affiliation and phone number clearly stated.

We will send you a Zoom link for participation via e-mail by the day before the seminar.

Deadline for Participation Registration

Wednesday, December 6 at 12:00 pm

Leaflet

AGI SEMINAR ON DECEMBER 7 [in PDF format]

TO PARTICIPATE ONLINE

You can either download the Zoom application in advance (1) or participate via a browser without downloading the Zoom application (2).
Please choose one of the above two methods.
*If you are using a Smartphone, please choose (1).

(1) TO PARTICIPATE BY DOWNLOADING THE ZOOM APPLICATION
① Please download an online distribution application “Zoom” (free of charge) onto your computer or Smartphone.
*Click Here for How to Download the Application

You can download the application onto your computer by clicking the 【ダウンロード】 button.

You can also download the application from these pages.
・For iPhones and iPads
» Download Zoom Application

・For Android phones
» Download Zoom Application

② We will send you a Zoom link to the e-mail address provided in your participation request e-mail by the day before the seminar.

③ Please click and open the Zoom link between 15 minutes before the start time and the actual start time on the seminar day. ⇒ You will be asked to wait in our “Waiting Room.”

④ When it is time to start the seminar, we will let all participants in at once.

⑤ A question-and-answer session is scheduled at the end of the presentation. If you would like to ask any questions, please either “raise your hand” or unmute your microphone and start talking. *You can also ask questions by sending chat messages.

(2) TO PARTICIPATE VIA A BROWSER WITHOUT DOWNLOADING THE ZOOM APPLICATION (ONLY FOR COMPUTERS)

① We will send you a Zoom link to the e-mail address provided in your participation request e-mail by the day before the seminar.

② Please click and open the Zoom link between 15 minutes before the start time and the actual start time on the seminar day.

③ Please click the 『ブラウザから参加』 at the bottom portion of your screen (if not displayed, please click the 『ここをクリック』). ⇒ You will be asked to wait in our “Waiting Room.”

④ When it is time to start the seminar, we will let all participants in at once.

⑤ A question-and-answer session is scheduled at the end of the presentation. If you would like to ask any questions, please either “raise your hand” or unmute your microphone and start talking. *You can also ask questions by sending chat messages.

【NOTE】

◇ Participants’ microphones will be turned on at the beginning. Please make sure to mute your microphone during the presentation. During a question-and-answer session scheduled at the end of the presentation, please unmute your microphone.
◇ If you would like to turn off your audio (microphone) and image (video), please click the microphone icon and video icon at the bottom left portion of your screen. The icons will be crossed by a red diagonal line.
◇ Depending on your computer or Wi-Fi signal strength, there could be a case where you will not be able to participate in the seminar or you will lose an internet connection in the middle of the seminar. However, we are unable to deal with those cases individually. Your understanding is greatly appreciated.

date：2023.11.17
Category：Seminars