Trade Policy, Tariffs and Barriers

What this page covers

This unit is mostly mind maps. They look at how governments shape trade and what tools they use. Some maps follow the history of trade rules, others list the instruments themselves, and a few look at fair trade. Flashcards, notes and one quiz sit alongside them.

Where to begin

Start with the map on the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). It sets out the goal of cutting tariffs collectively and reducing trade discrimination. Then open WTO VS GATT, which looks at the negotiating rounds, including the Uruguay Round and the Doha Round.

Next, move to the tools of trade policy:

1. Instruments of Trade Policies explains tariffs, including specific tariffs charged per unit and ad valorem tariffs charged as a fraction of value.
2. Non tariff barriers covers import quotas, which directly limit the quantity of a good that may be imported.
3. International Trade maps barriers to trade, from subsidies and administrative regulations to currency controls and voluntary export restraints.

Using maps and cards together

Read a map first to see how the ideas connect. Then switch to flashcards to check the details. Short decks such as Tariff, Quota, Subsidies and Local Content Rules let you test one instrument at a time. The MEM deck compares multilateralism and regionalism and looks at the functions and structure of the WTO. The note called International Trade - created from Mind Map gives you the same material as text, which is handy for reading through slowly.

National policy and fair trade

The map on National Trade policies asks whether a government should protect domestic firms by taxing foreign goods. Other maps look at how national policies are formulated. For a different angle, try the fair trade maps, including the one on the 10 principles of Fair Trade.

Where it fits

This unit belongs to the strand Trade Policy, Institutions and Integration, within the subject International trade. The quiz is a single one, so use it as a quick check once you have worked through a few maps.

When you are ready, choose one map, read it through and see what you can recall without looking.