Contrabando técnico y política arancelaria: análisis de datos de panel para el sector textil colombiano

Between 1990 and the second decade of 2000, the Colombian textile sector has faced frequent changes in tariff policies. These reforms aimed at improving the sector’s economic conditions through two strategies: protecting the sector against the growing international competition and reducing the problem of smuggling due to underinvoicing of imports. This article evaluates the effect of such policies on contraband and the labor market situation, making use of panel data econometric modeling. The results suggest that the policies had adverse effects on under-invoicing and on the hours worked by employees, mostly affecting informal employment.