Minimum Quality Standard and Protectionism

Abstract

We studied the protectionist character of a minimum quality standard (MQS). We show that in the fixed cost model where two firms, one local and one foreign, compete in a local market, the implementation of a MQS on the local market is a protectionist political only if the local firm supplies the lower quality, whatever the type of competition (Cournot or Bertrand) and the technology differential between the firms.Minimum Quality Standard, Protectionism, Endogenous Quality