• TRADE AND INVESTMENT PUBLICATIONS
• SELECTED WORLDWIDE WEBSITES

Global Trade Protection Report 2007. April 2007. Available online (PDF-Format, 20 pages, 196 KB). Anti-Dumping Portal (AD).
This report provides a review of global trade protection activity, including anti-dumping, countervailing duty and safeguards, covering the whole of 2006. The report presents the trends in anti-dumping activity and notes that the European Commission and India are the major users in 2006. A number of alternative ways of measuring anti-dumping activity are presented, including the percentage of cases ending in measures, the duration of measures and the trade weighted anti-dumping activity. The report notes that China remained the main target in 2006 and that chemicals and metals remain the most targeted sectors. The report also features a chapter relating to the trends in safeguard activity and a chapter on trends in countervailing duty activity.
Accessed on 2 May
<http://www.antidumpingpublishing.com/uploaded/documents/CSDocuments/GTP%202007.pdf>

Indo-United States FTA: Prospects for Audiovisual Services. February 2007. Available online (PDF-Format, 81 pages, 554 KB). ICRIER Working Paper No. 192; Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER).
This paper argues that many WTO member countries, including India, are defensive about opening up the audiovisual sector in the Doha Round due to reasons of cultural sensitivity. On the other hand, the United States is pushing for liberalizing trade in this sector – both in the WTO and in its bilateral Free Trade Agreements (FTAs). With the slow progress of the Doha Round, India and the United States are exploring the possibilities of entering into FTAs with like-minded trading partners. In this context, the paper discusses the prospects of liberalizing audiovisual services under a possible Indo-United States FTA. The study finds that India and the United States have significant trade complementarities in this sector which could be further enhanced under an FTA. It identifies areas such as co-production of films, digital content creation and broadband infrastructure in which companies from India and the United States can enter into mutually beneficial collaborations. It argues that India should enter into a media cooperation agreement with the United States to facilitate the inflow of technical know-how, finance and best management practices. It discusses regulatory and other reforms which would not only improve the productivity and global competitiveness of the Indian audiovisual sector but also enable it to gain from the FTA.
Accessed on 2 May <http://www.icrier.org/pdf/Working_Paper_192.pdf>

Market Access, Openness and Growth. April 2007. Available online (PDF-Format, 34 pages, 225 KB). NBER Working Paper No. 13048, National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER).
This paper identifies a causal effect of openness to international trade on growth. It does so by using tariff barriers of the United States as instruments for the openness of developing countries. Trade liberalization by a large trading partner causes an expansion in the trade of other countries. Trade expansion induced by greater market access appears to cause a quantitatively large acceleration in the growth rates of developing countries. The paper concludes that eliminating existing developed world tariffs would increase developing country trade to GDP ratios by one third and growth rates by 0.6 to 1.6 per cent per annum.
Accessed on 2 May <http://papers.nber.org/papers/w13048.pdf>

Policies, Enforcement, and Customs Evasion: Evidence from India. March 2007. Available online (PDF-Format, 41 pages, 433 KB). IMF Working Paper.
The authors of this working paper examine the effect of tariff policies on evasion of customs duties, in the context of the trade reform in India of the 1990s. They exploit the variation in tariff rates across time and products to identify the evasion elasticity, namely, the effect of tariffs on evasion, and relate this elasticity to factors related to customs enforcement or the quality of customs institutions. They find a positive and robust effect of tariffs on import tax evasion. They then show that the evasion elasticity is influenced by certain product characteristics that determine how easy it is to detect evasion (with more differentiated products exhibiting a higher evasion elasticity). This evasion elasticity, which they broadly interpret as reflecting the quality of customs administration, has not improved over the 1990s. Finally, their results suggest that the effectiveness of customs in addressing evasion may be better in India than China, although China appears to be catching up over time.
Accessed on 11 April <http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/wp/2007/wp0760.pdf>

Policy Directions to 2050: A business contribution to the dialogues on cooperative action. March 2007. Available online (PDF-Format (both low- and high- resolution), 52 pages, 2.88 MB and 25.3 MB (respectively). World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD).
This publication asserts that the only way to combat climate change is through decisive, concerted and sustained actions between Governments, businesses and consumers. It builds on previous WBCSD publications as it explores policy ideas and concepts for the transition to a low greenhouse gas (GHG) economy. The document uses facts, simplified assumptions and extrapolations to guide readers among possible options. It is designed as a fairly concise roadmap from which routes must be chosen. It does not recommend particular targets related to climate impacts, instead it uses numbers to help readers understand scale. Its primary purpose is to identify and explore policy options to sustain economic growth while transforming the ways we access, produce and consume energy.
Accessed on 2 May <http://www.wbcsd.org/web/tmp/policy-low.pdf>

Prospects for Development of the Garment Industry in Developing Countries: What Has Happened Since the MFA Phase-Out? April 2007. Available online (PDF-Format, 35 pages, 509 KB). Discussion Paper No. 101; Institute of Developing Economies (IDE).
On 1 January 2005, the controlled trade regime on textiles and clothing which as based on the Multi-Fiber Arrangement (MFA) made in 1974 was abolished. This institutional change had great impacts on the world market for textiles and clothing. This paper reviews the impacts of the changes on the main markets and examines the prospects for the markets and the source countries. The main conclusions are as follows: (1) after the renewal of quantitative restrictions on Chinese garment exports were agreed with the United States and the EU, the post-MFA surge in Chinese garment exports was significantly eased; (2) instead, the growth in garment exports from other Asian low-income countries to the two markets was revived in 2006; (3) the Japanese market has been kept almost intact from the impact of the regime shift; (4) some developing countries, such as Bangladesh and Cambodia, not only survived the liberalization but also have steadily expanded their garment exports throughout the transition; and (5) an indicative fact is that the profitability of the garment industry in Bangladesh and Cambodia was high on average according to surveys conducted in 2003, which might have bolstered the steady growth of garment exports in the past, and possibly future growth, too.
Accessed on 2 May <http://www.ide.go.jp/English/Publish/Dp/pdf/101_yamagata.pdf>

The SPS Agreement and Biosafety. March 2007. Available online (PDF-Format, 20 pages, 161 KB). FAO Legal Papers Online; Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO).
This paper was presented at a regional training workshop on drafting secondary biosafety regulations, organized by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) (10-13 October 2006, Hanoi, Viet Nam). The purpose of the workshop was to enable key Government staff from Cambodia, Thailand and Viet Nam to draft secondary biosafety regulations that are consistent with inter alia the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety and other international treaties and arrangements. The paper includes a general introduction to the World Trade Organization (WTO), its objectives, functions and structure, and to the relevant WTO Agreements in the biosafety area, notably the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (the SPS Agreement). In addition, it presents the findings of the panel report in the recent Biotech dispute and identifies some areas of potential conflict between the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety and WTO rules, in particular the SPS Agreement. The concluding remarks contain some practical considerations on drafting biosafety legislation.
Accessed on 2 May <http://www.fao.org/legal/prs-ol/lpo65.pdf>

Trade Effects of Regional Standards Liberalization. A Heterogeneous Firms Approach. February 2007. Available online (PDF-Format, 44 pages, 486 KB). Policy Research Working Paper 4124, World Bank
This study investigates trade effects of the regional liberalization of technical barriers to trade (TBTs) in the form of harmonization and mutual recognition agreements (MRAs) for testing procedures. The theoretical part of the paper is framed in terms of a heterogeneous firms approach. This paper adds to the existing literature by formalizing the effects of MRAs and harmonization initiatives on bilateral trade flows and by applying this new theoretical framework in the empirical part of the paper. The latter consists of a two-stage gravity estimation and investigates sectoral effects of regional TBT liberalization on parties to the agreement as well as excluded industrialized and developing countries. It finds that MRAs have a strong positive influence on both export probabilities and trade volumes for partner countries. Regarding harmonization, results seem to suggest that the impact on parties to the agreement is negligible, however that on excluded OECD countries is large and positive. Third party developing countries do not seem to benefit from the market integration effect brought about by harmonization in other regions. Overall, effects on the probability that a new firm will export are much more pronounced than effects on the trade volumes of incumbent exporters.
Accessed on 2 May
< http://www-wds.worldbank.org/servlet/WDSContentServer/WDSP/IB/2007/02/20/ >

Why isn’t the Doha Development Agenda more poverty friendly? February 2007. Available online (PDF-Format, 56 pages, 183 KB). GTAP Working Paper No. 37; Global Trade Analysis Project (GTAP).
The breakdown of the WTO negotiations under the Doha Development Agenda has inspired critics to highlight the lack of effort on the part of rich countries to reform their agricultural policies. In this paper, the authors focus instead the poverty impacts of developing country tariff cuts – particularly those in agriculture. They argue that the Doha Development Agenda is fundamentally less poverty-friendly than it could be, in large part due to the absence of tariff cuts on staple food products in developing countries. Such cuts would give the poor access to food at world prices, thereby reducing the cost of living at the poverty line. The authors also explore the contention that such tariff cuts will hurt the poor working in agriculture. Based on the analysis of the impacts of multilateral trade policy reforms on a sample of fifteen developing countries, the authors find there is some evidence of poverty increases in agriculture. However, such effects are minimized by ensuring that agricultural tariffs are cut in all developing countries. Overall, the poverty-reducing impact of lower food prices dominates; they conclude that the Doha Development Agenda would be more poverty friendly if it were to include deeper cuts in developing country agricultural tariffs. This contrasts sharply with calls for special products exemptions by many developing country advocates.
Accessed on 2 May
<https://www.gtap.agecon.purdue.edu/resources/download/3079.pdf>

http://asianbondsonline.adb.org/regional/regional.php
AsianBondsOnline
AsianBondsOnline is an ASEAN+3 initiative, supported by the Asian Development Bank and funded by the Government of Japan. It offers easy and centralized access to information about the region’s rapidly developing bond markets. The website contains essential data on current market activities, the legal and regulatory framework of each market, and monitors Government policies and initiatives affecting the industry. It offers links to publicly available information on the Internet, giving investors a comprehensive view of a growing segment of the global financial markets. The website covers Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam, and the Asian regional market. The website is maintained by the Office of Regional Economic Integration of the Asian Development Bank.

http://www.ifiwatchnet.org/
IFIwatchnet
E-mail: info@ifiwatchnet.org
IFIwatchnet is an initiative in international NGO networking, currently in its second year of operation. It connects organizations worldwide which are monitoring international financial institutions (IFIs) such as the World Bank, the IMF, and regional development banks. Formed in response to a call by civil society groups to maximize the effectiveness of their communications and networking efforts, it is rapidly developing into a important tool for ever increasing degrees of collaboration between IFIwatching groups at national, regional and international levels. With nearly 60 organizations from 27 different countries in every region of the world, it has huge potential to increase the ability of civil society to make global governance institutions accountable to the people they serve. IFIwatchnet aims to pool independent information about IFIs from a broad range of civil society sources and make it easier for people to find what they need; improve communication between IFI-watchers, increasing mutual awareness of outputs and collaboration on activities; and increase the efficiency and effectiveness of IFI watching organizations through new information sharing approaches.

http://www.ica.coop/
International Co-operative Alliance (ICA)
Global e-mail: ica@ica.coop, Asia-Pacific e-mails: icaroap@vsnl.com / info@icaroap.coop (India) and icasing@icaroap.org.sg (Singapore).
Founded in 1895, the International Co-operative Alliance is an independent, non-governmental organization which unites, represents and serves co-operatives worldwide. ICA members are national and international co-operative organizations in all sectors of activity including agriculture, banking, fisheries, health, housing, industry, insurance, tourism and consumer co-operatives. Currently, ICA has 220 member organizations from 85 countries. ICA's priorities and activities centre on promoting and defending the co-operative identity, ensuring that co-operative enterprises are a recognized form of enterprise that is able to compete in the marketplace. The website has a designated Asia and Pacific chapter.

http://www.mabc.org.my/
Malaysia Australia Business Council (MABC)
E-mail: mabc@mabc.org.my
The Malaysia Australia Business Council was established in 1986 as a private, non-profit organization to provide a forum for discussion and exchange of views on bilateral business conditions. It also deals with domestic and international issues affecting Malaysian/Australian companies and their personnel. The objectives of MABC are to promote and foster close relations between Malaysia and Australia; to provide a forum for meeting people involved or interested in enhancing trade and investment flows between Malaysia and Australia; to identify, encourage and inform members and other interested parties of appropriate sources of information relating to trade and investment opportunities, practices and regulations, in Malaysia and Australia; to support Malaysian business interests in Australia, and Australian business interests in Malaysia; and to liaise and cooperate with organizations in Malaysia and Australia with aims similar to those of the council. The website informs about the latest business news and events such as network meetings or roundtable discussions. It also features a collection of important links.

http://www.keidanren.or.jp/
Nippon Keidanren (Japan Business Federation)
E-mail: webmaster@keidanren.or.jp
Nippon Keidanren is a comprehensive economic organization with a membership of 1,351 companies, 130 industrial associations, and 47 regional economic organizations. The mission of Nippon Keidanren is to accelerate growth of Japan's and world economy and to strengthen the corporations to create additional value to transform Japanese economy into one that is sustainable and driven by the private sector, by encouraging the idea of individuals and local communities. The website provides access to news, publications, a link collection, statements and speeches and more.

http://www.oasis-open.org
Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards (OASIS)
OASIS is an international non-profit consortium that drives the development, convergence, and adoption of e-business standards, along with standards for security, e-business and standardization efforts in the public sector and for application-specific markets. The consortium information portals on XML and Web services standards, Cover Pages and XML.org.

http://www.spbd.ws/index.htm
South Pacific Business Development Foundation (SPBD)
E-mail info@spbd.ws
The South Pacific Business Development Foundation is a Grameen Bank style micro finance organization serving those living in poverty in the Pacific Islands, with Samoa as main target market. Within Samoa, SPBD is targeting the 48 per cent of the population that are food deficient. SPBD's mission is to improve the quality of life of poor families of Samoa by providing training, unsecured credit, ongoing guidance and motivation to help to start, grow and sustain micro-businesses. SPBD provides small, unsecured loans to groups of rural women. Women invest their loans into businesses based on their existing livelihood skills. SPBD's philosophy of lending is based on a respect for each individual's innate human ingenuity, drive and self esteem.

http://www.srilankabusiness.com/index.asp
Sri Lanka Business Portal, Sri Lanka Export Development Board
E-mail: edb@tradenetsl.lk
The Sri Lanka Business Portal is maintained by the Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB). EDB is the premier State organization dealing with the promotion and development of exports. It was established in 1979 and works under the Ministry of Export Development and International Trade. The website contains a wealth of information and material related to trade. Various portals exist, including a) trade information, listing Sri Lankan products, potential markets, information on trade policy, a Sri Lanka trade guide and information on trade agreements; b) economic research and studies, providing information on export performance, research on international markets, policy implications of trade-related global issues and other trade-related domestic policy matters; and c) e-promotions, listing tenders, advertisements and web links. Other information found on the website are publications, a trade directory, trade statistics, information on trade events and much more.

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.