Illicit Cigarette Trade in Five South American Countries: A Gap Analysis for Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Peru

2018 ◽  
Vol 21 (8) ◽  
pp. 1079-1086 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guillermo Paraje
Keyword(s):  
Latin American ◽  
Tax Evasion ◽  
Tobacco Industry ◽  
Gap Analysis ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
South American ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Illicit Trade ◽  
Illicit Tobacco Trade ◽  
Latin American Countries

Abstract Introduction Because of its nature, it is very hard to measure illicit tobacco trade in any product. In the case of Latin American countries, there is scant information on the magnitude and characteristics of this cigarette trade. The goal of this article is to provide estimates on the evolution of the illicit cigarette trade in five South American countries: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Peru. Methods Gap analysis estimates for cigarette tax evasion/avoidance (a comparison on the evolution of the difference between registered cigarette sales and measured population consumption) are developed for Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Peru. Nationally representative surveys, conducted regularly, are used to measure population consumption. Confidence intervals constructed by bootstrapping sample estimates are generated to statistically evaluate the evolution of the gap. Results Illicit cigarette trade has increased as a percentage of total sales in Brazil in recent years. In the case of Argentina, after a relative decrease between 2005 and 2009, it seems to have stabilized. There is no statistical evidence to argue that there has been an increase of illicit cigarette trade in Chile, Colombia, and Peru, despite substantial price increases in Chile and tax increase in both Colombia and Peru. Conclusions Using simple statistical methods, it is possible to assess the trend in illicit tobacco trade over time to better inform policy makers. Getting reliable and regular population consumption surveys can also help to track illicit tobacco trade. Claims by tobacco industry of a positive association between price/tax changes and illicit trade are unsubstantiated. Implications Evolution of illicit cigarette trade in five Latin American countries shows different trajectories, not in line with tobacco industry estimates, which highlight the importance of producing solid, independent estimates. There are inexpensive methodologies that can provide estimates of the evolution of the relative importance of illicit trade and can be used to inform policy makers.

Introductory Note

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanna Gomula
Keyword(s):  
Latin American ◽  
Tax Evasion ◽  
Green Energy ◽  
Illicit Trade ◽  
Appellate Body ◽  
Introductory Note ◽  
General Exceptions ◽  
Gatt 1994 ◽  
Combat Money Laundering ◽  
Wto Agreements

In 2016, panel and Appellate Body reports were adopted in seven disputes. The majority of the disputes concerned general obligations under two basic WTO agreements: the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade of 1994 (GATT 1994) and the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS). Therefore, the 2016 reports provide valuable analytical resources on basic GATT and GATS concepts, and the respective general exceptions clauses. The other disputes concerned anti-dumping and countervailing duty measures. Two disputes involving Latin American states related to measures imposed in order to combat money laundering and tax evasion, and raised the question of whether GATT tariff obligations apply to “illicit trade”. Two other disputes related to the use of green energy, including the promotion of solar cells and modules, and anti-dumping duties on imports of biodiesel.

Who’s to Blame? The Distribution of Responsibility in Developing Democracies

2010 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 389-411 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isabella Alcañiz ◽  
Timothy Hellwig
Keyword(s):  
Latin American ◽  
Foreign Debt ◽  
Policy Outcomes ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Developing Democracies ◽  
Mass Politics ◽  
World Markets ◽  
High Volatility ◽  
Latin American Countries ◽  
The International Monetary Fund

International structures tie the hands of policy makers in the developing world. Dependency on the world economy is blamed for low growth, high volatility and less redistribution of income than average, but the effect of international constraints on mass politics is relatively unknown. This study examines how citizens of developing democracies assign responsibility for policy outcomes. A theory of the distribution of responsibility, combining insights from the political economy of development and the study of mass behaviour, is presented. Evidence from seventeen Latin American countries shows that citizens often blame policy outcomes on international and private-sector actors, to which they, as voters, have no direct recourse. Ties to world markets and the International Monetary Fund, especially foreign debt, shift responsibility towards international actors and tend to exonerate national politicians.

scholarly journals Causes and Consequences of Idle Youth in Guatemala

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 61
Author(s):  
Luis Rene Cáceres
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Youth Unemployment ◽  
Regression Equations ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Development Indicators ◽  
Youth Population ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
Population Ratio ◽  
Latin American Countries

This paper analyzes the causes and consequences of the percentage of the youth population that is not working, in school or in traning, Neets, in Guatemala. The study rests on the estimation of regression equations that explain the percentage of Neet population in terms of variables associated with the labor market; other set of equations were estimated to assess the role that Neets have in the Guatemalan economy. The data employed was taken from the World Bank’s World Development Indicators. The results indicate that the percentage of female and male Neets decrease as the credit to the private sector increase; said percentage increases with the increase of the deficit in the trade balance and with the increase in youth unemployment. Another result is that the Neet population exert negative impacts on the employment to population ratio and on the rate of economic growth. These results are augmented by the analisis of the relationships existing between the percentages of Neets and economic growth, the number of homicides and the number of persons that are incarcerated using a cross section of 2010 data from 13 Latin American countries. The results presented in the paper should motivate policy makers in Guatemala and other countries to design and implement policies geared towards preventing that youth become Neets.

scholarly journals The Role of Trade Costs in the Russian-Paraguayan Trade Relations

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 5
Author(s):  
Valeriia S. Ryzhkova ◽  
Alexandra G. Koval
Keyword(s):  
Latin American ◽  
Bilateral Trade ◽  
Trade Costs ◽  
Cultural Barriers ◽  
Export Diversification ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Trade Relations ◽  
Mutual Interest ◽  
Latin American Countries

The changed geopolitical situation and deterioration of Russia-West relations has induced the expansion of trade and economic cooperation between Russia and Latin American countries. Currently, Paraguay is explicitly showing its readiness to strengthen recently built trade relations with Russia. In order to fuel their increased mutual interest, it is crucial to struggle with impediments that hinder the trade between them. The export potential assessments demonstrate that Russia and Paraguay indeed have potential to intensify bilateral trade, even though the opportunities for export diversification are quite limited. The authors conduct a survey to identify the major trade costs and their role in the development of the Russian-Paraguayan trade relations. The survey findings reveal that transportation and logistics costs significantly impede the exports of both countries as well as information-related obstacles represent the top concern for Russian export companies, while non-tariff measures, language and cultural barriers are relevant for Paraguayan firms. In order to intensify the Russian-Paraguayan commercial relations, the policy makers could deal with these barriers via a higher exchange of market information through different institutional channels.

scholarly journals LA DINAMIZACIÓN DE CADENAS AGROINDUSTRIALES URUGUAYAS EN CONTEXTO DE EXPANSIÓN COMERCIAL GLOBAL (2001-2019)

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (23) ◽  
pp. 112
Author(s):  
Ignacio Betasaghi ◽  
Emilio Silva
Keyword(s):  
Latin American ◽  
World Trade ◽  
Dairy Products ◽  
Agricultural Products ◽  
Asia Pacific ◽  
South American ◽  
Asia Pacific Region ◽  
Spatial Reorganization ◽  
America Latina ◽  
Latin American Countries

La producción y el comercio mundial agroindustrial ha registrado un importante incremento en el presente siglo. Algunos países en América Latina, especialmente los sudamericanos se han reposicionado como importantes abastecedores de bienes agrarios. Si bien la expansión tiene múltiples causas, el acelerado crecimiento económico que ha evidenciado en los últimos veinte años la región Asia-Pacífico, motorizado principalmente por China, así como otras regiones y países emergentes, ha estado en la base de este proceso. En ese contexto, Uruguay ha sido uno de los países sudamericanos que ha mostrado un importante dinamismo. En este artículo se analiza cómo este país, históricamente agroexportador, acompañó la expansión de la producción y el comercio mundial de base agraria, desarrollando sus vínculos con el mercado externo a partir de sus principales cadenas industriales relacionadas con la producción de soja, forestación, carne, arroz y lácteos. La clave este proceso implicó, entre otras cosas, una reorganización espacial de las actividades agropecuarias, la captación de inversión extranjera directa, así como potentes transformaciones en materia de innovación tecnológica y gestión de los agronegocios.Palabras claveagroindustria; agronegocios; alimentos; cadenas productivas; comercio mundial; exportaciones; innovación; Uruguay AbstracWorld agro-industrial production and trade has registered a significant increase in this century. Some Latin American countries, especially in South America, have repositioned themselves as important suppliers of agricultural products. Although the expansion has multiple causes, the accelerated economic growth that the Asia-Pacific region has shown in the last twenty years, driven mainly by China, as well as other regions and emerging countries, has been the basis of this process. In this context, Uruguay has been one of the South American countries that has shown significant dynamism. This article analyzes how this country, historically agro-exporter, accompanied the expansion of production and world trade based on agriculture, developing its links with the external market from its main industrial chains related to the production of soy, forestry, meat, rice and dairy products. Products Products The key to this process involved, among other things, a spatial reorganization of agricultural activities, the attraction of foreign direct investment, as well as powerful transformations in terms of technological innovation and agribusiness management.Keywordsagroindustry; agribusiness; foods; productive chains; world trade; exports; innovation; Uruguay

Digital Opportunities, Equity, and Poverty in Latin America

2011 ◽  
pp. 1-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simone Cecchini
Keyword(s):  
Latin America ◽  
Human Development ◽  
Information And Communication Technology ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Communication Technology ◽  
Poverty Reduction ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Reduction Strategies ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
Latin American Countries

This chapter examines the digital divide that exists within Latin American countries. It argues that information and communication technology is creating new opportunities that can be seized to support human development and poverty-reduction strategies. However, it also clarifies that ICT on its own cannot leapfrog the old institutional and organizational weaknesses of Latin American economies and societies. The author hopes that understanding the deep-rooted inequalities that underlie ICT access in Latin America will not only inform researchers on the challenges for the development of the information society in the region, but also assist policy makers in the preparation and implementation of appropriate public policies.

Taxpayers' Attitudes towards Tax Evasion in Latin American Countries

2014 ◽  
pp. 73-104
Author(s):  
Müslüm Basılgan ◽  
Bryan Christiansen
Keyword(s):  
Latin American ◽  
Tax Evasion ◽  
Social Life ◽  
The State ◽  
Tax Structure ◽  
Tax Morale ◽  
Satisfaction With Democracy ◽  
Funding Sources ◽  
Consumption Taxes ◽  
Latin American Countries

The weight of the state in economic and social life is very important even if it might differ from country to country. The state provides particular public services and needs to the various funding sources to provide these services. Taxes constitute the largest share of financial sources needed by the state to operate effectively. However, taxes are often not welcomed by taxpayers, creating the unwanted behavior of tax evasion. The purpose of this chapter is to reveal the tax structures of Latin American countries and to examine tax morale as an important determinant in shaping the attitudes of taxpayers in Latin America. This chapter shows the most important component of tax revenues in Latin American countries constitutes consumption taxes instead of income taxes, in contrast to developed regions such as those in OECD countries. It shows the tax structure in Latin American countries reflects the typical tax structure in developing countries. It is also observed that average tax morale is higher in South American countries, such as Venezuela, Paraguay, and Argentina, than in other areas, although it has a changing property over time. Moreover, the chapter shows tax morale is associated with financial indicators (satisfaction with income, the present economic situation, income distribution, and the functioning of the market economy), policy indicators (satisfaction with democracy, confidence with government), and demographic indicators (age, education).

scholarly journals Memoranda of understanding: a tobacco industry strategy to undermine illicit tobacco trade policies

2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (e2) ◽  
pp. e110-e118 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Crosbie ◽  
Stella Bialous ◽  
Stanton A Glantz
Keyword(s):  
Tobacco Industry ◽  
Tobacco Products ◽  
Illicit Trade ◽  
Accountability System ◽  
Philip Morris ◽  
The Media ◽  
Illicit Tobacco Trade ◽  
Transnational Tobacco Companies ◽  
Corporate Social ◽  
Corporate Social Responsibility Reports

ObjectiveAnalyse the transnational tobacco companies’ (TTCs) memoranda of understanding (MoUs) on illicit trade and how they could undermine the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) and the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products (Protocol).MethodsReview of tobacco industry documents and websites, reports, news and media items using standard snowball search methods.ResultsFacing increasing pressure from governments and the FCTC to address illicit tobacco trade during the late 1990s, TTCs entered into voluntary partnerships embodied in MoUs with governments’ law enforcement and customs agencies. One of the earliest known MoUs was between Philip Morris International and Italy in 1999. TTCs agreed among themselves to establish MoUs individually but use the Italian MoU as a basis to establish similar connections with other governments to pre-empt more stringent regulation of illicit trade. TTCs report to have signed over 100 MoUs since 1999, and promote them on their websites, in Corporate Social Responsibility reports and in the media as important partnerships to combat illicit tobacco trade. There is no evidence to support TTCs’ claims that these MoUs reduce illicit trade. The terms of these MoUs are rarely made public. MoUs are non-transparent partnerships between government agencies and TTCs, violating FCTC Article 5.3 and the Protocol. MoUs are not legally binding so do not create an accountability system or penalties for non-compliance, rendering them ineffective at controlling illicit trade.ConclusionGovernments should reject TTC partnerships through MoUs and instead ratify and implement the FCTC and the Protocol to effectively address illicit trade in tobacco products.

China, United States and Hegemonic Challenge in Latin America: An Overview and Some Lessons from Previous Instances of Hegemonic Challenge in the Region

2012 ◽  
Vol 209 ◽  
pp. 18-34 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gonzalo Sebastián Paz
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Latin America ◽  
Latin American ◽  
The United States ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Similarities And Differences ◽  
Closed Door ◽  
Latin American Countries

AbstractHas China been a hegemonic challenge to the United States in Latin America in recent years? The article explores this question by setting a comparison with historical cases of instances of hegemonic challenge in Latin America, searching for similarities and differences, and looking for makers of rivalry as a way to start to distinguish perception from reality. I stress the instrumentality of framing issues, since they serve for internal mobilization and for control of allies. The article also attempts to illuminate the issue of how the United States has reacted to China's growing presence in an area historically considered within its sphere of interests, or “backyard,” and about the dialogue between the United States and China about the region. It provides insights on the United States, China and Latin American countries’ policy makers’ thinking, collected through off-the- record interviews and closed-door debriefings.

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