trade policy brief
OECD Services Trade Restrictiveness Index
February 2021
Efficient services sectors are important in their own right, but are also essential for manufacturing competitiveness. he OECD STRI helps policy makers to assess reform options, benchmark them relative to global T best practice, and assess their likely impact. The 2020 STRI shows that the global regulatory environment became more restrictive across most services sectors.
What’s the issue? Services generate more than two-thirds of global GDP, employ the most workers in major economies and create more new jobs than any other sector. Services also represent more than 50% of the value added in gross exports, and over 30% of the value added in exports of manufacturing goods. Efficient services sectors are therefore important in their own right, and essential for manufacturing competitiveness.
Launched in 2014, the OECD Services Trade Restrictiveness Index (STRI) presents an up-to-date snapshot of services regulatory regimes in 22 sectors across 48 countries, accounting for over 80% of global services trade. This evidence-based tool allows policymakers to assess reform options, benchmark them relative to global best practice, and assess their likely impact. It also helps trade negotiators identify restrictions that most impede trade and is a source of regulatory transparency for businesses seeking to enter foreign markets.
Average, minimum and maximum STRI scores by sector (2020)
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Distribution services
Sound recording
Motion pictures
Insurance
Logistics freight forwarding
Note: Air transport and road freight currently cover only commercial establishment (with accompanying movement of people).
Computer services
Road freight transport
Telecommunication
Commercial banking
Average
Logistics customs brokerage
Construction
Engineering services
Logistics storage and warehouse
Architecture services
Logistics cargo-handling
Maximum
Maritime transport
Courier services
Broadcasting
Rail freight transport
Accounting services
Legal services
1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0
Air transport
Minimum