Swiss News

This paper investigates the impact of aid for trade (AfT) targeted at trade policies on the participation of recipient countries in global value chains (GVCs), and how this impact varies with their prevailing political regimes. In democratic countries, the need for the authorities to account for the interests of various stakeholders (e.g., lobbies, trade unions) can compromise the allocation, use, and effectiveness of AfT. In contrast, less democratic regimes are typically more insulated from political pressures, which may lead to more effective outcomes of aid. At the same time, integration into some complex GVCs requires efficient and democratic institutions, to which these products are sensitive. Employing a sample of 110 countries and data covering 2002-2018, we control for standard determinants of GVC participation, while examining the effect of AfT and the moderating role of the political regime in place. Our estimation addresses the endogeneity of aid through an appropriate instrumentation strategy. Our results suggest that the effect of AfT is mostly positive in autocratic regimes, indicating more effective trade policy reforms. When we account for regional disparities, we find evidence that AfT for trade policy is also impactful in some democratic regimes. This might suggest that the efficacy of AfT is not strictly regime-dependent, but hinges on the government’s commitment to carry out significant reforms leading to greater participation in the global economy.

This paper investigates the impact of aid for trade (AfT) targeted at trade policies on the participation of recipient countries in global value chains (GVCs), and how this impact varies with their prevailing political regimes. In democratic countries, the need for the authorities to account for the interests of various stakeholders (e.g., lobbies, trade unions) can compromise the allocation, use, and effectiveness of AfT. In contrast, less democratic regimes are typically more insulated from political pressures, which may lead to more effective outcomes of aid. At the same time, integration into some complex GVCs requires efficient and democratic institutions, to which these products are sensitive. Employing a sample of 110 countries and data covering 2002-2018, we control for standard determinants of GVC participation, while examining the effect of AfT and the moderating role of the political regime in place. Our estimation addresses the endogeneity of aid through an appropriate instrumentation strategy. Our results suggest that the effect of AfT is mostly positive in autocratic regimes, indicating more effective trade policy reforms. When we account for regional disparities, we find evidence that AfT for trade policy is also impactful in some democratic regimes. This might suggest that the efficacy of AfT is not strictly regime-dependent, but hinges on the government’s commitment to carry out significant reforms leading to greater participation in the global economy.

This paper investigates the impact of aid for trade (AfT) targeted at trade policies on the participation of recipient countries in global value chains (GVCs), and how this impact varies with their prevailing political regimes. In democratic countries, the need for the authorities to account for the interests of various stakeholders (e.g., lobbies, trade unions) can compromise the allocation, use, and effectiveness of AfT. In contrast, less democratic regimes are typically more insulated from political pressures, which may lead to more effective outcomes of aid. At the same time, integration into some complex GVCs requires efficient and democratic institutions, to which these products are sensitive. Employing a sample of 110 countries and data covering 2002-2018, we control for standard determinants of GVC participation, while examining the effect of AfT and the moderating role of the political regime in place. Our estimation addresses the endogeneity of aid through an appropriate instrumentation strategy. Our results suggest that the effect of AfT is mostly positive in autocratic regimes, indicating more effective trade policy reforms. When we account for regional disparities, we find evidence that AfT for trade policy is also impactful in some democratic regimes. This might suggest that the efficacy of AfT is not strictly regime-dependent, but hinges on the government’s commitment to carry out significant reforms leading to greater participation in the global economy.

Jeudi 30 juillet 2026, à 20h30
Église de Doucy-en-Bauges
On ne présente plus Tedi Papavrami, violoniste virtuose arrivé très jeune d'Albanie en France. Sa curiosité, son exigence intellectuelle et artistique font de lui un violoniste hors normes dans le paysage musical. Le duo qu'il forme avec la pianiste japonaise Maki Okada fait merveille.
Le programme explore les rives de la Méditerranée, dont les mythes, mélodies, danses et lumières ont inspiré de multiples chefs-d'œuvre. Ce concert (…)

- Agenda / Albanie, France - Régions

Jeudi 30 juillet 2026, à 20h30
Église de Doucy-en-Bauges
On ne présente plus Tedi Papavrami, violoniste virtuose arrivé très jeune d'Albanie en France. Sa curiosité, son exigence intellectuelle et artistique font de lui un violoniste hors normes dans le paysage musical. Le duo qu'il forme avec la pianiste japonaise Maki Okada fait merveille.
Le programme explore les rives de la Méditerranée, dont les mythes, mélodies, danses et lumières ont inspiré de multiples chefs-d'œuvre. Ce concert (…)

- Agenda / Albanie, France - Régions

Dans le cadre du Festival des Cultures du Monde, la troupe folklorique de Korça proposera plusieurs spectacles de danses et de musiques traditionnelles albanaises. Ce festival, organisé chaque année à Chambéry, réunit des groupes venus du monde entier et met à l'honneur la diversité des cultures. La participation albanaise permettra au public de découvrir des danses, des costumes et des rythmes caractéristiques du patrimoine du pays. Les spectacles, gratuits et en plein air, s'adressent à (…)

- Agenda / Albanie, France - Régions

Dans le cadre du Festival des Cultures du Monde, la troupe folklorique de Korça proposera plusieurs spectacles de danses et de musiques traditionnelles albanaises. Ce festival, organisé chaque année à Chambéry, réunit des groupes venus du monde entier et met à l'honneur la diversité des cultures. La participation albanaise permettra au public de découvrir des danses, des costumes et des rythmes caractéristiques du patrimoine du pays. Les spectacles, gratuits et en plein air, s'adressent à (…)

- Agenda / Albanie, France - Régions

António Costa, az Európai Tanács elnöke július 7–8-án a törökországi Ankarába látogat. Kedden részt vesz majd a NATO-csúcstalálkozó előtt rendezett vezetői vacsorán. Szerdán Ursula von der Leyennel, az Európai Bizottság elnökével együtt találkozik majd Recep Tayyip Erdoğan török elnökkel.

Press briefing ahead of the upcoming Eurogroup meeting of 9 July will take place on Tuesday 7 July 2026 at 15.30.

President of the European Council, António Costa, will travel to Ankara (Türkiye) on 7 and 8 July. On Tuesday, he will attend a leaders’ dinner ahead of the NATO summit. On Wednesday, together with President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, he will meet President of Türkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Press briefing ahead of the upcoming Eurogroup meeting of 9 July will take place on Tuesday 7 July 2026 at 15.30.

Wer die Steuern optimieren will, wandert in steuergünstige Kantone ab. Ein neues Urteil des Bundesgerichts zeigt nun: Wer dabei trickst, zahlt am Ende doppelt. Die Chronik eines Debakels.

Ex-Popstar Slađa Delibašić arbeitet heute als Kellnerin im Café ihrer Tochter Marinela. Die Gäste staunen, wenn sie von der einstigen 90er-Ikone bedient werden. Doch für Slađa ist es eine Herzensangelegenheit, ihrer Familie zu helfen.

Mit einer Zeremonie hat Ägypten am Wochenende das «Oktagon» eingeweiht. Die neue Mega-Militärzentrale in der Wüste löst das US-Pentagon als grösstes Hauptquartier der Welt ab. Während die Armee klotzt, leidet die Bevölkerung unter einer schweren Wirtschaftskrise.

Environment Committee MEPs have backed extending the EU's carbon border adjustment mechanism to downstream goods and setting up a fund to support industry's low-carbon transition.
Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety

Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP

Environment Committee MEPs have backed extending the EU's carbon border adjustment mechanism to downstream goods and setting up a fund to support industry's low-carbon transition.
Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety

Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP

Flynn Thomas zählt seit Jahren zu den besten Tennis-Junioren der Welt – jetzt bestreitet er in Wimbledon sein letztes Nachwuchs-Grand-Slam-Turnier, bevor er sich ganz in Richtung Profi-Zirkus verabschiedet. Und er will dies mit einem Knall tun.

Eine 19-jährige Blauring-Leiterin starb bei Aufbauarbeiten fürs Sommerlager. Die Trauer in ihrer Wohngemeinde Horw LU ist riesig. Strassen sind mit Kreidezeichnungen übersät. Auch der Gemeindepräsident nimmt Anteil.

Servette lässt zwei Youngsters ziehen. Loun Srdanovic verlässt die Genfer Richtung Ligue 1, Malek Ishuayed wird in die Challenge League verliehen.

President Metsola opened the 6-9 July plenary session with a moment of silence for the victims of the Venezuela earthquake.

Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP