FIW Working Papers | 2017-12

Crucial Materials? How Export Restrictions Upstream Boost Manufacturing Exports Downstream

This paper shows both theoretically and empirically how raw material rich countries use export restrictions upstream to give manufacturing sectors downstream a competitive advantage. For young and relatively small industries this can be seen as a type of infant industry protection that takes advantage of the global value chain. Estimating a fixed effect model, I provide evidence that export restrictions on industrial raw materials upstream help promote manufacturing exports downstream.