• TRADE AND INVESTMENT PUBLICATIONS
• SELECTED WORLDWIDE WEBSITES

Asia’s Long-term Growth and Integration: Reaching beyond Trade Policy Barriers. September 2005. Economics and Research Department (ERD) Policy Brief Series No. 38. Available on-line (PDF-Format, 10 pages, 318 Kb). ADB.
The policy brief reports assessments of the potential benefits of reducing international trade costs in the region. As regional trade costs fall and intraregional trade and investment increase, a trilateral pattern is likely to emerge, with Southeast Asia acting as a growth bridge, facilitating trade between the economies of South and East Asia. Even Asian economies with low initial trade costs, such as the newly industrialized countries, are poised to benefit from the growth and greater trade of their neighbors.
Accessed on 20 November 2005 from:
< http://www.adb.org/Documents/EDRC/Policy_Briefs/PB038.pdf >

China in a Globalizing World. September 2005. For Sale. Price: US$20. Available on-line (PDF-Format, 198 pages, 1462 Kb). UNCTAD.
The paper analyses the macroeconomic reasons for the Chinese boom since the mid-1990s. It is argued that the stable growth performance of China would not have been possible without the strategy of unilaterally fixing the exchange rate, which has been implemented since 1994. This strategy was successful because it was accompanied by a reform of the wage-setting regime in the mid-1990s, a heterodox macroeconomic demand management that has addressed the country’s needs and a rather closed capital account. This arrangement has made it possible for China to both master the challenges of globalization and modernize the domestic economy at the same time. Without this macroeconomic complement to favorable microeconomic conditions, it is argued, the stable and vigorous growth of the past decade would not have been possible.
Accessed on 15 November 2005 from: < http://www.unctad.org/en/docs/gdsmdpb20051_en.pdf >

East Asia Update – Countering Global Shocks. November 2005. Available on-line (PDF-Format, 80 pages, 2.3 Mb). World Bank.
The latest report in the series states that emerging East Asia grew at just over 6 per cent in 2005 as the region's economies countered a series of threats, including rising oil prices and interest rates, the high-tech slowdown, the end of preferential export quotas for garments and the Avian flu, which is endemic in the poultry flocks of many East Asian countries. Looking forward, much now depends on progress that members are able to make at the upcoming WTO Ministerial in Hong Kong, Province of China, on 13-18 December 2005, so as to achieve a successful conclusion to the Doha Round of multilateral talks. The Special Focus in this Update on “What can East Asia Expect from the Doha Development Round?” looks in more detail at the issues at stake for the region.
Accessed on 15 November 2005 from:
< http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTEAPHALFYEARLYUPDATE/Resources/EAP-Brief-final-full.pdf >

Follow up Study Impact of APEC Investment, Liberalisation and Facilitation, 2005. November 2005. For Sale. Price: US$20. Available on-line (PDF-Format, 65 pages, 943 Mb). APEC
This study aims to analyze the economic effects of investment liberalization and facilitation in a quantitative manner. The key element for the follow-up study is updating the quantification of investment barriers through improvements in the comprehensiveness and consistency of the information in the Individual Action Plan (IAP). The main findings of the study are that all member economies will benefit from investment liberalization. Those benefits will be larger for economies with steeper investment barriers, although this is dependent on internal and external Foreign Investment Stock prior to investment liberalization. Furthermore, the growth in FDI spurred by investment liberalization will have a complementary relationship with import and exports trade volume, of which will grow as a result of investment liberalization.
Accessed on 30 November 2005 from:
<http://www.apec.org/apec/publications.MedialibDownload.v1.html>

Islamic Capital Market Products – Development and Challenges. 2005. For Sale. Price: US$5.00. Available on-line (PDF-Format, 101 pages, 402.62 Kb). Islamic Development Bank.
The paper focuses on the state of equity and stable income products in Islamic capital markets. It surveys the size of the markets for stocks and loan agreements of Bahrain, Malaysia, Pakistan, and Sudan and highlights the issues in their development. This is done with the purpose to understand how to enhance the proportion of Islamic products in the capital markets of the Islamic Development Bank member countries.
Accessed on 29 November 2005 from: < http://irtipms.iskandertech.com/OpenSave.asp?pub=213.pdf >

The Cost and Benefits of Trade Facilitation. October 2005. Available on-line (PDF-Format, 8 pages, 8,492 bytes). OECD.
The report states that steady increase in trade volumes and complexity have significantly changed the operating environment for the international trading community. They have also highlighted the negative impact of efficient border procedures on government as a whole. The report stated that benefits from more efficient customs procedures could be as high as those from reducing tariffs. This is a problem for all trading nations and trade facilitation is a key element of the Doha Development Agenda for multilateral trade negotiations at the World Trade Organization. Reductions in the cost of trade transactions would have a positive impact on trade for both the developed and the developing world. The report looks at the benefits that can be generated by trade facilitation, as well as the costs and challenges of achieving it, so as to make sure that countries can fully reap the gains of further multilateral trade liberation.
Accessed on 30 November 2005 from:< http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/58/25/35459690.pdf >

Trade, Micro and Small Enterprises and Global Value Chains. 2005. Available on-line (PDF-Format, 56 Pages, 490 Kb). USAID.
The paper aims to provide readers with a rationale for implementing trade-related projects that help integrate micro and small enterprises into global value chains and to highlight some effective strategies to do so. The strategies discussed in this paper are expected to help development projects to better contribute to broad-based economic growth associated with deeper linkages and an increased capacity on the part of developing countries to both respond to and benefit from trade opportunities.
Accessed on 28 November 2005 from:
< http://www.seepnetwork.org/files/3010_file_MicroReport_25_USAID_DAI_Goldmark.pdf >

Where Are We in the Doha Round. August 2005. Available on-line (PDF-Format, 12 pages, 1.45 Mb). International Institute for Sustainable Development.
The publication presents a picture of Doha Round negotiation in brief with its birth, its nature, present status of the negotiation in agriculture, non-agricultural market access, services and development with a view that the Doha Round negotiation might not result in “development”. The paper states that the core of the Doha Round revolves around agriculture. Progress on every other topic on the negotiating table depends on real progress in respect of this central goal. Agriculture is the last major frontier for trade liberalization, and it is in liberalizing agriculture that the greatest economic gains are to be found. In exchange for concessions in agriculture, the richer countries are seeking market access for their services and for their industrial goods. For the developing countries the demand is for restrictions on dumping of agricultural commodities and abuse of subsidies, and real development benefits from trade, especially for those who are unlikely to gain much from agricultural openness. The authors argue that Doha negotiation has too many undecided fundamentals and the gulf between the parties on key issues is still very wide.
Accessed on 30 November 2005 from: < http://www.iisd.org/pdf/2005/trade_doha_status.pdf >

http://www.gbd.org/
Global Business Dialogue on Electronic-commerce
Email: secretariat@gbde.org
The Global Business Dialogue on Electronic (GBDe) is a worldwide, private sector-led business initiative to assist the development of a global policy framework for the emerging online economy. The GBDe has provided specific recommendations on key areas of e-commerce policy, such as broadband, consumer confidence, cyber security, intellectual property rights, spam and electronic payments every year. The efforts of the GBDe were recognized in 2002 by the "Brussels Declaration", signed by representatives of 10 Governments (Canada, Denmark, Egypt, European Commission, Germany, Japan, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America) supporting the ongoing work of the GBDe and encouraging greater dialogue and cooperation with other organizations.
Accessed on 28 November 2005

http://www.irti.org/
Islamic Research and Training Institute
Email: maljarhi@isdb.org.sa
Islamic Research and Training Institute (IRTI) is member of the Islamic Development Bank Group. The purpose of IRTI is to undertake research for enabling the economic, financial and banking activities in Muslim countries to conform to Shari'ah (religion way) and to extend training facilities to personnel engaged in economic development activities in the Bank's member countries. IRTI has been assigned to organize and conduct basic and applied research with a view to developing models and methods for the application of Shari'ah in the field of economics, finance and banking; to provide for the training and development of professional personnel in Islamic economics to meet the needs of research and Shari'ah-observing agencies; to train personnel engaged in development activities in the Bank's member countries; to establish an information center to collect, systematize and disseminate information in fields related to its activities and to undertake any other activities which may advance its purpose.
Accessed on 29 November 2005

http://english.mofe.go.kr/index.html
Ministry of Finance and Economy, Republic of Korea
Email: fppr@mofe.go.kr
The Ministry of Finance and Economy (MOFE) is committed to ensuring macroeconomic stability and a fair and transparent market economy. MOFE is responsible for a variety of policies involving medium to long term economic and social development policies, including taxation, finance, national treasury, and state-owned properties. Another important dimension of MOFE work includes foreign exchange and debt, external economic cooperation, and stabilizing the livelihoods of the Korean people.
Accessed on 1 November 2005

http://www.neac.gov.my/
National Economic Action Council, Malaysia
The National Economic Action Council of the Malaysian Government was founded to tackle crisis and manage economic issues to enhance economic growth and ensure continued stability and prosperity of the country. It’s objective is to analyze and propose measures in tackling crisis and strategic issues for the government; provide accurate and relevant input to boost Malaysia’s competitiveness; coordinate actions for decisions yet to be implemented, especially in ‘cross-cutting issues’; provide platforms for discussions and consultations among the government, academicians, private sectors, students leaders and NGOs on a periodical basis; to identify and propose new sources of growth to enhance economic growth and to disseminate information to the public during any crisis.
Accessed on 29 November 2005

http://www.sme.wethai.com/home.html
Office of Small and Medium Enterprise Promotion of Thailand
The Office of Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion (OSMEP) is a government agency under the supervision of the Board of Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion. The mission of the office is to establish criteria to characterize small and medium enterprises in accordance with social and economic environment; define categories and sizes of SMEs to be promoted; propose promotional policy and plans; cooperate with other public offices, government organizations, state enterprises and relevant private organizations in the formulation of policies and action plans for SMEs promotion; prepare SMEs studies and nationwide SMEs status quo reports; propose to the Board of SMEs Promotion amendments of laws, and to stipulate new legislation, amendments to improve conditions laid down in laws and regulations concerning SMEs promotion.
Accessed on 28 November 2005

http://www.pprc.kz/
Public Policy Research Center, Kazakhstan
Email: info@pprc.kz
Public Policy Research Center (PPRC) is a non-government organization operating in Kazakhstan. The Center’s mission is to assist in introducing concepts and procedures for public policy in Kazakhstan; conduct independent surveys; work out alternative solutions to existing problems by organizing public forums; provide information from all parties involved – government, society, international organizations; assist in creating a socio-political environment in Kazakhstan, favorable to democratic reforms; and create a training center to become a source of reference on issues of public policy in Kazakhstan and Central Asia.
Accessed on 1 November 2005

http://www.pseb.org.pk/
The Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB)
E-mail: info@pseb.org.pk
The Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) is a government entity with the objectives to develop the domestic market; formulate policies and developing sound infrastructure with the support of the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunications; facilitate business development by identifying new market opportunities and promote them at national and international exhibitions and events; expand existing opportunities for education and employment in the IT/ITeS sector; lead research and development activities within various segments of the industry and maintaining a comprehensive information bank of industry-related activities and to facilitate mergers and acquisition activities to further strengthen and prepare the Pakistani IT/ITeS industry to face international competition.
Accessed on 29 November 2005

http://www.trade-asia.org/
Trade Asia
Email: info@InWEnt.org
TRADE ASIA is a German Government financed programme comprising a number of trading projects in India, Indonesia, the Philippines and Viet Nam. It concentrates on entrepreneurial networking, cross-cultural issues, social standards, capacity building of intermediaries in the field of sustainable management systems, export training and promotion, and making of business contacts. Trade Asia is to be allocated to "Economic Reform and Build-up of Market Economy" (WIRAM), a sectorial focal point of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
Accessed on 28 November 2005

http://www.tfalliance.org/
Trade Facilitation Alliance (TFA)
The Trade Facilitation Alliance (TFA) is a private-sector initiative committed to simplifying and harmonizing the regulation of cross-border trade, including customs procedures. The TFA works with the international business community to ensure that negotiations on trade facilitation in the WTO Doha Round and in regional trading arrangements develop concrete rules to improve the efficiency of international commercial transactions. The TFA aims to advance trade facilitation in multilateral, regional and bilateral negotiations, in particular the Doha Round of WTO negotiations where the trade facilitation agenda has met resistance; develop the substance of trade facilitation rules that would reduce impediments to cross-border transactions; create support for trade facilitation within a diverse range of countries through their private industries; and build on the existing efforts of other organizations dedicated to trade facilitation, and coordinate with these organizations.
Accessed on 30 November 2005

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