research product . Other ORP type . 2019

The cost of Brexit uncertainty: missing partners for French exporters

Martin, Julien; Martinez, Alejandra; Mejean, Isabelle;
English
  • Published: 01 Dec 2019
  • Publisher: HAL CCSD
  • Country: France
Abstract
International audience; More than three years after the unexpected Brexit vote of June 2016, there is still no exit agreement between the United Kingdom and the European Union. Although the conditions of Brexit and the corresponding economic consequences are still unknown, the referendum has already had a real economic impact. The long discussion surrounding Brexit can be seen as a long-lasting uncertainty shock, whiach has affected firms’ investment decisions.In this note we use highly detailed customs data before and after the vote to measure the impact of Brexit on French firms’ exports to the UK. We find that the referendum had no effect on average on the value of exports but depressed export growth in sectors such as transportation or chemical industries which are more upstream in value chains. The number of new trade relationships involving French exporters and British importers has significantly declined after the Brexit vote, in comparison with other destinations. This is consistent with the uncertainty shock reducing French firms’ investment in their customer base, which is likely to penalize French exporters in the future. These results are suggestive evidence that uncertainty has a real cost and that any decision of delaying the Brexit further should compare the benefit of reaching a better deal with the economic cost induced by uncertainty. It is also important that the next EU-UK trade agreement should guarantee the stability and predictability of the trade policy that European exporters will have to face.
Subjects
free text keywords: [SHS.ECO]Humanities and Social Sciences/Economics and Finance
Related Organizations
Funded by
ANR| ECODEC
Project
ECODEC
Réguler l'économie au service de la société
  • Funder: French National Research Agency (ANR) (ANR)
  • Project Code: ANR-11-LABX-0047
, EC| TRADENET
Project
TRADENET
Firm-to-Firm Trade Networks
  • Funder: European Commission (EC)
  • Project Code: 714597
  • Funding stream: H2020 | ERC | ERC-STG
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Hyper Article en Ligne; Mémoires en Sciences de l'Information et de la Communication; Hyper Article en Ligne - Sciences de l'Homme et de la Société; Hal-Diderot
Other ORP type . 2019
Providers: Hyper Article en Ligne; Mémoires en Sciences de l'Information et de la Communication; Hyper Article en Ligne - Sciences de l'Homme et de la Société; Hal-Diderot

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