• TRADE AND INVESTMENT PUBLICATIONS
• SELECTED WORLDWIDE WEBSITES

Doing Business 2007: How to Reform. September 2006. Overview available online (PDF-Format, 12 pages, 1.1 MB). The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/The World Bank.
“Doing Business 2007: How to Reform” is the fourth in a series of annual reports investigating the regulations that enhance business activity and those that constrain it. Doing Business presents quantitative indicators on business regulations and the protection of property rights that can be compared across 175 economies—from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe—and over time. Regulations affecting 10 areas of everyday business are measured: starting a business, dealing with licenses, employing workers, registering property, getting credit, protecting investors, paying taxes, trading across borders, enforcing contracts and closing a business. The indicators are used to analyze economic outcomes and identify what reforms have worked, where and why.
Accessed on 30 November
< http://www.doingbusiness.org/documents/DoingBusiness2007_Overview.pdf >

Exceptions to patent rights in developing countries. August 2006. Available online (PDF-Format, 92 pages, 1.32 MB). Issue Paper No. 17, UNCTAD/ICTSD Project on IPRs and Sustainable Development.
This publication is part of the efforts of a project to contribute to a better understanding of the use of patent exceptions for the pursuit of various national policy objectives. Exclusive patent rights may constitute important tools for the promotion of a country’s technological capacities, depending on that country’s level of development in a particular sector. On the other hand, a Government may prefer to keep certain activities outside the scope of exclusive rights, considering it more beneficial for society to have unlimited access to the products or services related to such activities. The paper approaches the issue of patent exceptions on two interrelated levels: first, it reviews a number of long established practices and principles of patent exceptions and their implementation in both developed and developing country legislation. Second, in analyzing pertinent WTO jurisprudence, the study highlights the possibilities of developing broader interpretations of the TRIPS provision on exceptions to exclusive patent rights.
Accessed on 30 November
< http://www.iprsonline.org/unctadictsd/docs/Garrison%20final.pdf >

Fisheries, International Trade and Sustainable Development. October 2006. Available online (PDF-Format, 131 pages, 1.81 MB). Policy Discussion Paper, International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD).
As part of the ICTSD project on international trade, fisheries and sustainable development, this policy discussion paper aims to help foster an inclusive and informed process for crafting multilateral, regional and domestic trade rules and policies in the fisheries sector that are supportive of sustainable development. The paper provides a comprehensive assessment of the complex set of trade policy issues and tools that bear on the sustainability and development of the fisheries sector. It does so through the lens of sustainable development, analyzing the following questions: How will trade policy tools such as tariffs, subsidies, standards or eco-labelling impact on the pursuit of public policy objectives related to social development, employment and food security? Under what conditions will these tools foster or undermine the long-term viability of fisheries resources? How will the use of the various policy tools influence countries’ ability to secure export revenues and preserve the profitability of the fisheries sector? The paper aims to provide a framework for those making and influencing policies to better understand and analyze how key trade policy issues and tools in fisheries relate to and impact on their sustainable development objectives.
Accessed on 8 December
< http://www.trade-environment.org/output/ictsd/resource/Fish_policypaper.pdf >

Foreign Banking: Do Countries' WTO Commitments Match Actual Practices? October 2006. Available online (PDF-Format, 59 pages, 231 KB). Staff Working Paper, World Trade Organization.
This paper draws upon a new and comprehensive dataset consisting of the commitments countries made at the WTO and the regulations actually imposed on foreign banks by those countries. The dataset covers 123 WTO Members for whom there was also information available on their current regulatory regime for banking. On the basis of that data, the authors develop indices measuring the degree of openness to foreign banking based upon both commitments made and actual regulatory practice, with a view to assessing the overall extent to which countries open their borders to foreign banks more than they are legally obliged to do based upon their WTO commitments. The dataset is also used to assess the overall extent to which countries discriminate against foreign banks by regulating them less favorably than domestic banks. Although results are still quite preliminary, they do show substantial divergences between commitments and practices. Indices of market openness and discrimination reveal wide differences among the 123 countries in the sample. The paper also identifies various factors that help explain the level of commitments that WTO Members have made.
Accessed on 8 December < http://www.wto.org/english/res_e/reser_e/ersd200611_e.pdf >

Rules of Origin: Conceptual Explorations and Lessons from the Generalized System of Preferences. December 2006. Available online (PDF-Format, 40 pages, 527 KB). Asian Development Bank.
Rules to determine a country of origin, or “nationality” of a country of production of goods, are called rules of origin. They are widely used in international trade in the application of different tariffs, trade remedy measures, tariff quotas and trade statistics. With the globalization of economic activities resulting in outsourcing of materials as well as the global proliferation of free trade agreements, rules of origin have become one of the major trade issues among both public and private sectors. Rules of origin often result in the so-called “spaghetti-bowl” effect. Since there is no agreement on product-specific harmonized rules of origin, international trade is governed by different national laws. This paper intends to describe in simple terms what rules of origin are, what kinds of rules of origin exist; why rules of origin are important; which relevant agreements at the international level exist, such as WTO or WCO; and what the major techniques are used to determine a country of origin.
Accessed on 8 December 2006
< http://www.adb.org/Documents/ERD/Working_Papers/WP089.pdf >

The development dimension of the GATS domestic regulation negotiations. August 2006. Available online (PDF-Format, 60 pages, 371 KB). South Centre.
This paper discusses the implications ‘GATS Article VI: 4’ disciplines on domestic regulation can have on developing countries and least developed countries (LDCs). After a brief overview of the state of regulatory capacity in developing countries, the paper analyzes the implications the various disciplines can have on developing countries’ regulatory autonomy and especially on the use of regulations for development purposes. It also analyses the GATS Working Party on Domestic Regulation (WPDR) Chair’s consolidated working paper of the majority of proposals submitted by Members thus far and aims to give a flavor of the current state of negotiations. In conclusion, recommendations are provided on how disciplines can be designed to be in line with developing country interests and development goals.
Accessed on 30 November
http://www.southcentre.org/publications/AnalyticalNotes/Services/

What's Driving Investment in China? November 2006. Available online (PDF-Format, 39 pages, 549 KB). Working Paper No. 06/265, IMF.
Investment has grown rapidly in China in recent years, reaching more than 40 per cent of GDP. This rapid growth raises concerns about whether resources are being allocated efficiently. This paper looks at recent developments in investment and explores a number of questions, including: Who has been investing? Where is the investment? How is it financed? What investments are being made? In addition, the authors use econometric analysis to assess the factors driving investment in two key sectors, namely manufacturing and real estate.
Accessed on 8 December < http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/wp/2006/wp06265.pdf >

World Trade Organization. Notes on the content and process. November 2006. Available online (PDF-Format, 48 pages, 1.19 MB). Asia-Pacific Trade and Investment Initiative, UNDP Regional Centre in Colombo.
This handbook explains, in simple language and layout, the general principles and processes of the WTO. The author elaborates on the significant decisions that have been made in previous negotiations in relation to issues covered in the current negotiations launched by the Doha Ministerial Declaration in 2001. As the suspension of the negotiations shows, the asymmetrical negotiating power of developed countries prevails. Apart from pursuing their aims in the WTO negotiations, they are also likely to intensify their efforts in bilateral and regional free trade agreements (BTAs/RTAs), such as on intellectual property rights, services, investment, competition and the environment. These issues have particular human development implications for developing countries. Often the BTAs/RTAs have requirements that are “WTO-plus,” or rights and obligations that go beyond what is required in the multilateral forum. This emerging trend, to negotiate international trade outside the multilateral framework, makes it clear that developing countries must build awareness about the commitments and safeguard their development interests.
Accessed on 30 November
<http://www.undprcc.lk/Publications/Publications/TRADE/World_Trade_Organization_Book.pdf>

http://www.gcci.ge/
Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Georgia (GCCI)
E-mail: info@gcci.ge
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Georgia unites six regional chambers with the principal objective of presentation and protection of interests of its members in Georgia and beyond its limits. It takes part in the development of economic drafts, legislative and other acts. It also leads systematic negotiations with its members, elaborates common opinion of business society and submits it to the management of the country, its ministries and organizations. The website of the chamber offers thorough information about the member companies of the chamber, international business offers and other relevant information.

http://www.comsats.org.pk/
Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in the South (COMSATS)
E-mail: info@comsats.org.pk
The Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in the South is an intergovernmental and international organization, aiming at sustainable socio-economic uplift of the developing countries through useful applications of science and technology. One of COMSATS main objectives is to support the establishment of a network of international science and technology centres for sustainable development in the South. So far, 14 centers of excellence have been selected as nodes and are being used to provide the leading role in their respective areas of specialization. Currently COMSATS has 21 countries as its members located in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

http://www.fairtrade.net
Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International (FLO)
E-mail: info@fairtrade.net
The Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International is a worldwide fair trade standard setting and certification organization. It permits more than one million producers, workers and their dependants in 50 countries to benefit from labelled fair trade. FLO guarantees that products sold anywhere in the world with a fair trade label marketed by a national initiative conforms to fair trade standards and contributes to the development of disadvantaged producers and workers.

http://www.hkecic.com
Hong Kong Export Credit Insurance Corporation (ECIC)
The Hong Kong Export Credit Insurance Corporation was created to encourage and support export trade through the provision of insurance protection for Hong Kong, China exporters against non-payment risks arising from commercial and political events. Its capital is wholly-owned by the Government of the Hong Kong, China. The corporation provides a wide range of insurance facilities to Hong Kong, China exporters of both goods and services who trade with overseas buyers on credit terms. The facilities cover two main types of non-payment risks for goods exported and services rendered arising from buyer risks and country risks. Other services include credit management services, collateral for discounting export bills as well as advice on solving payment problems.

http://www.ifg.org
International Forum on Globalization (IFG)
E-mail: ifg@ifg.org
The International Forum on Globalization is an alliance of sixty activists, scholars, economists, researchers and writers formed to stimulate new thinking, joint activity and public education in response to economic globalization. Representing over 60 organizations in 25 countries, IFG associates come together out of a shared concern that the world's corporate and political leadership is undertaking a restructuring of global politics and economics that may prove as historically significant as any event since the industrial revolution. IFG produces publications; organizes public events; hosts issue-specific seminars; coordinates press conferences and media interviews at international events; and participates in other activities that focus on the consequences of globalization.

http://www.insme.info
International Network for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (INSME)
E-mail: secretariat@insme.it
The International Network for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises is a non-profit association open to international membership. Its mission is to stimulate transnational cooperation and public and private partnership in the field of innovation and technology transfer to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). INSME currently includes 82 Members from 5 continents: 20 governmental bodies, 11 international organizations, 7 international non-governmental organizations and representatives of 44 networks and intermediaries acting in the field of innovation and technology transfer to SMEs. The association provides services and facilities to its members. Gathering and dissemination of information are achieved through collaboration and exchange among members through e-mail contacts, discussion in the dedicated rooms of the discussion group area of the portal, periodical meetings and conference calls.

http://www.myanmars.net/
Myanmars.Net
Myanmars.Net is a Gateway to information related to Myanmar and is maintained by entrepreneurs from Myanmar dedicated to IT-industry development, cultural, educational, and tourism promotion of the country. The business and economy section of the website offers a comprehensive guide on how to do business in Myanmar, as well as further information on insurance rules and regulations, Myanmar export products, insurance agents, trading companies and banks. The website also offers a free match making service.

http://www.spto.org
South Pacific Tourism Organization (SPTO)
E-mail: tourism@spto.org
The South Pacific Tourism Organization is the mandated inter-governmental organization for the tourism sector in the South Pacific. Its membership substantially represents both the public and private sectors. Current Government member countries include Cook Islands, China, Fiji, French Polynesia, Kiribati, New Caledonia, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. Private sector members include over 200 of the major tourism operators in the region. SPTO works to facilitate the sustainable development of the tourism sector in the South Pacific; to strengthen capacity within the region; and to sustainably plan, market and manage development of the tourism sector.

http://www.worldshipping.org
World Shipping Council
E-mail: info@worldshipping.org
The World Shipping Council is a United States-based trade association representing more than forty liner shipping companies serving the United States’ international trade. Council members include the largest container lines in the world as well as smaller niche carriers, and carriers providing roll-on/roll-off and heavy-lift services. The Council's goal is to provide a coordinated voice for the liner shipping industry in its work with policymakers and other industry groups interested in international transportation issues, including: maritime security, regulatory policy, tax issues, safety, the environment, harbor dredging and upgrading the infrastructure needed to handle the United States’ booming trade.

Information is taken mainly from secondary sources and UNESCAP accepts no responsibility for its accuracy. Mention of any companies and their products does not imply endorsement by the United Nations.

The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.