Non-Tariff Barriers
a.k.a. NTBs, Non-tariff measures
Ways countries block or slow imports without using a tax: quotas, red tape, strict standards and the like.
In plain English
Ways countries block or slow imports without using a tax: quotas, red tape, strict standards and the like.
Non-tariff barriers are the sneaky cousins of tariffs. Instead of charging a tax at the border, a country makes imports harder in other ways: limits on quantity (quotas), slow licensing, picky safety or labelling rules, or "buy local" rules for government contracts.
Some protect consumers for good reasons; others are protectionism in disguise. For traders, they matter because they quietly shape trade balances, and trade balances shape currencies.
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