The Costs and Benefits of Duty-Free, Quota-Free Market Access for Poor Countries: Who and What Matters

Abstract This paper examines the potential benefits and costs of providing duty-free-quota-free market access to the least developed countries and the effects of extending eligibility to other poor countries. Using the MIRAGE computable general equilibrium model, it assesses the impact of scenario involving different levels of product coverage, recipient countries, and preference-giving countries. The main goals of this paper is to highlight the role that rich and emerging countries could play in helping poor countries, to assess the costs and benefits for developing countries and whether the potential costs for domestic producers are in line with political feasibility in preference-giving countries.