Enhancing the contribution of Export Processing Zones to Sustainable Development Goals: an analysis of 100 EPZs and a framework for sustainable economic zones

Over the past decade, the popularity of Export Processing Zones (EPZs) has grown in many countries across the global south. There are now over 4,000 EPZs, which is over 3,000 more than 20 years ago. Some countries have made the promotion of such zones central to their economic development strategies, while others have questioned their contribution to national development. Meanwhile, the increasing implementation of international trade rules mean that some of the traditional incentives for EPZs, such as tax breaks for exports, are no longer in line with WTO rules. In that context EPZs, also called Special Economic Zones (SEZs), need to innovate new means of maintaining and developing their competitiveness.