icketariffära

Icketariffära is a term used in some Swedish-language economic literature to denote measures governing international trade that are not tariffs. In English, the corresponding concept is non-tariff measures (NTMs, or non-tariff barriers). The term highlights that governments can influence trade through administrative and regulatory means besides tariff schedules.

Scope and examples: NTMs cover a broad range of policy instruments, including import licensing regimes, quantitative restrictions such as quotas when used as non-tariff measures, technical regulations and standards, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, labeling and packaging requirements, consumer safety and environmental rules, subsidies to domestic producers, and border procedures that raise compliance costs. They can also involve intellectual property rules and government procurement practices.

Impact and policy context: NTMs affect prices, availability, and product choice, and their effects depend on design, administration, and transparency. Some NTMs fulfill legitimate public goals, such as protecting health, safety, or the environment; others may function as protectionist barriers. International trade governance, including the World Trade Organization's agreements on technical barriers to trade (TBT) and sanitary and phytosanitary measures (SPS), aims to increase transparency and minimize unnecessary trade distortion.

Measurement and research: Researchers classify NTMs by policy domain and assess their trade impact using databases and indicators such as trade restrictiveness indices and qualitative assessments. Policy debates focus on balancing legitimate regulatory objectives with the goal of reducing unnecessary barriers.