A Study on the Trade-Economic Effects and Utilization of AEO Mutual Recognition Agreements

Purpose: The AEO (Authorized Economic Operator) program, created in 2001 in the United States due to 9.11 terrorist's attack, fundamentally changed the trade environment. Korea, which introduced AEO program in 2009, has become one of the world's top countries in the program by ranking 6th in the number of AEO certified companies and the world's No. 1 in MRA (Mutual Recognition Agreement) conclusions. In this paper, we examined what trade-economic and non-economic effects the AEO program and its MRA have in Korea. Research design, data and methodology: In this study we developed a model to verify the impact between utilization of AEO and trade-economic effects of the AEO and its MRA. After analyzing the validity and reliability of the model through Structural Equation Model we conducted a survey to request AEO companies to respond their experience on the effects of AEO program and MRA. As a result, 196 responses were received from 176 AEO companies and utilized in the analysis. Results: With regard to economic effects, the AEO program and the MRA have not been directly linked to financial performance, such as increased sales, increased export and import volumes, reduced management costs, and increased operating profit margins. However, it was analyzed that the positive effects of supply chain management were evident, such as strengthening self-security, monitoring and evaluating risks regularly, strengthening cooperation with trading companies, enhancing cargo tracking capabilities, and reducing the time required for export and import. Conclusions: When it comes to the trade-economic effects of AEO program and its MRA, AEO companies did not satisfy with direct effects, such as increased sales and volume of imports and exports, reduced logistics costs. However, non-economic effects, such as reduced time in customs clearance, freight tracking capability, enhanced security in supply chain are still appears to be big for them. In a rapidly changing trade environment the AEO and MRA are still useful. Therefore the government needs to encourage non-AEO companies to join the AEO program, expand MRA conclusion with AEO adopted countries especially developing ones and help AEO companies make good use of AEO and MRA.