TASTE program

The TASTE program has been designed to allow a large number of users to analyze existing trade policies and perform tariff scenarios. It is based on the MAcMap-HS6 database (version 2, baseyear 2004). It addresses several needs in terms of trade policy analysis. Among them:

• Queries on the MAcMap-HS6 database and computation of aggregate tariffs (bound and applied) at different sectoral and regional level (different aggregation methods allowed);


• Simulations of tariff changes resulting from a trade policy scenario implemented at the product (HS6) level. Outputs can be used in different General and Partial Equilibrium models and for instance, the integration in runGTAP is straightforward;


• Disaggregation tools for GTAP users in combination with the SPLITCOM software.

TASTE comes with a huge database of bilateral trade flows and of applied and bound tariff rates distinguishing around 200 countries and 5000 HS6 goods. This data, based on a number of sources, has been processed by David Laborde. The trade flows are consistent with Version 7 of the GTAP database. The data has been compressed to fit on a normal CD.

Documentation instructions:

First make sure you have at least 7GB free on your hard disk.

• Download and read the instructions at http://www.monash.edu.au/policy/ftp/taste/TASTE.doc.
• Create a new folder C:\TASTE (or similar short and simple name).
• Download and unzip the file TASTE.zip into C:\TASTE. This download will be quick.
• Download the file records.7z into C:\TASTE. The download will take a long time. Then open a DOS box (console) in C:\TASTE and enter the command:UNPACK.BAT After several minutes the compressed archive records.7z will be unpacked to create file records.dat, size 3.65GB.
• To run the program, enter: TASTE