"This implies that for these countries, the products they export are to a greater extent now being imported by the region as a whole," said the study sponsored by the Asian Development Bank and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development-India.
It used various models and simulations to assess likely consequences of SAFTA on additional effective market access that member countries may gain.
The preliminary findings were discussed at a seminar in Colombo organised by the Institute of Policy Studies, a think tank, with the aim of formulating policies to ensure greater gains.
The analysis identified restrictions on trade in services like health services, higher education, tourism, telecommunications services and constr