Economic integration and diffusion of regulatory standards: Evidence from trade networks

We document network effects in the diffusion of regulatory standards through international trade. Using both an instrumental variables approach, based on the time‐varying geographic component of trade, and a recentering approach, exploiting the timing of regulation adoption, we provide robust evidence that countries tend to domestically adopt the regulations of their key trade partners, especially when imposed by their export destinations. Leveraging the high dimensionality of our data, we show that the diffusion process is stronger for regulations and products with observable compliance. Our findings imply that economic integration can strengthen regulatory standards, aiding international policy coordination.