ifo Center for International Economics

International trade policy and trade barriers

We investigate how different trade policy instruments – including tariffs, sanctions, and regulatory barriers – affect economic outcomes. Using a combination of self-collected and established datasets on trade barriers, our research employs state-of-the-art empirical methods and quantitative general equilibrium models to quantify the effects of changes in trade policy.

Firm responses to globalization

Firms competing in global markets respond to international shocks through various margins of adjustment, including innovation, product-mix optimization, the diversification of sourcing and destination markets, and labor market adjustments. Our center investigates these responses at the firm level, both theoretically and empirically, including external shocks such as changes in trade policy (e.g., antidumping duties and non-tariff trade barriers) or in tax policy (changes in corporate income tax in partner countries).

Geoeconomics and the backlash to globalization

Understanding the causes and consequences of the crumbling political support for globalization is critical for society, if the benefits of trade and cooperation are to be preserved. We investigate the extent to which trade policy has become more politically driven. Our analysis also provides novel insights into how geopolitics shape firms’ and consumers’ economic behavior. In addition, we examine the extent to which globalization has contributed to the rise of populism. 
 

GTD - Global Tariff Database

The Global Tariff Database (GTD) provides bilateral statutory tariff rates for 200 importers and their partners, spanning 34 years (1988–2021). It includes both MFN and preferential tariffs, and is based on HS6-level tariff rates (HS88/92 Nomenclature), covering over 6.9 billion observations.

Sanctions

The EU Russia Sanctions Database provides information on the export and import bans implemented by the European Union with respect to Russia at the CN8 product level (HS2022 Nomenclature). It covers around 10,000 products per month from February 2022 to 2024 and is continuously updated. For each product, the database contains information on the sanction status (partial or full), the date of announcement, the publication date of the legal basis, and the month and year in which the measure entered into force.

ifo GAME – the Geological and Meteorological Events Database

ifo GAME collects information on geological and meteorological events like earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, storms, extreme temperature events, floods, and droughts. It thus provides a unique dataset for economic analysis, as it contains changes that are highly likely to be exogenous to economic developments. ifo GAME is part of the ifo research data available for download from the EBDC.

Prof. Dr. Peter Egger, ETH Zürich

Prof. Gabriel Felbermayr, Ph.D., Österreichisches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung

Prof. Wolfgang Keller, Ph.D., University of Colorado, Boulder

Prof. Dr. Mario Larch, University of Bayreuth

Prof. Devashish Mitra, Ph.D., Syracuse University

Prof. Dr. Marc Andreas Mündler, University of California, San Diego

Prof. Yoto V. Yotov, Ph.D., Drexel University Philadelphia

Michele Battisti, Ph.D., University of Glasgow

Dr. Martin Braml

Dr. Inga Heiland, Norwegian University of Science and Technology

Prof. Dr. Erdal Yalcin, HTWG Konstanz - University of Applied Sciences

CESifo Area on Global Economy