• GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS AND IMPACT ON TRADE AND INVESTMENT
• TRADE FACILITATION AND INVESTMENT PROMOTION
• WTO-RELATED NEWS
• REGIONAL AND BILATERAL TRADE AND INVESTMENT RELATIONS
• DID YOU KNOW THAT?
• EVENTS
• RECENT PUBLICATIONS ON TRADE AND INVESTMENT

A. GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS AND IMPACT ON TRADE AND INVESTMENT

GLOBAL
Global economic recovery is slowing: OECD, AFP , 14 October 2010
PARIS — Global economic recovery is slowing faster than expected and extra stimulus from governments may be needed, although another recession remains "unlikely," the OECD said on Thursday. Growth in the Group of Seven leading industrialised economies could slow to an annual rate of 1.5 percent in the second half of the year, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development said in an interim assessment, lowering a projection in May of 1.75 percent. "Recent high-frequency indicators point to a slowdown in the pace of recovery of the world economy that is somewhat more pronounced than previously anticipated," the OECD said.
Accessed on 14 October < http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/>

CHINA
World Bank says China needs to further rebalance economy, Xinhua , 19 October 2010
BEIJING , China needs to make further progress in rebalancing its economy as it prepares for its next five year development plan, a World Bank (WB) report said Tuesday. In its latest East and Pacific Economic Update, the WB said China needs tighter macroeconomic policy than it had in 2009 to manage inflation expectations and to contain property market and local government finance risks. "China's growth prospects over the coming decade continue to look bright, but rebalancing by altering the pattern of growth and investment is becoming increasingly critical to ensure sustainability -- structurally, socially, and globally," the Washington-based lender said in the report it releases every six months. China also needs to work on reducing rural-urban inequality and inflation pressures while enhancing efficiency gains and further changing the role of the state in the economy, the report said.
Accessed on 19 October < http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/business/>

China economy hums along, Reuters, 21 October 2010
China's growth ebbed in the third quarter while inflation edged just a touch higher, showing that the world's second-largest economy was strong but far from overheating and suggesting that an interest rate rise this week may be enough for now. Coming a day ahead of a meeting of G20 finance ministers in South Korea , where the United States and others are expected to push for a stronger Chinese currency, the data could in fact lead Beijing to put appreciation back in the slow lane. "The window for large yuan gains is closing fast. Export growth is slowing and, assuming the current trend is sustained, year-ago growth is on track to fall well below 10 percent," said Ben Simpfendorfer, an economist with RBS in Hong Kong . Although the suite of data published on Thursday was broadly in line with forecasts, the numbers in fact were something of a downside surprise after market chatter that growth and inflation had been much stronger than expected, prompting the surprise rate increase.
Accessed on 21 October < http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE69K11I20101021?pageNumber=1 >

CAMBODIA
Cambodia : NPLs fall amid signs of a strong economy, The Phnom Penh Post , 27 October 2010
A STRENGTHENING domestic economy has driven down the rate of non-performing loans at Cambodia 's microfinance institutions by a fifth at the end of September, compared to the end of June, according to industry statistics obtained yesterday. Figures from the Cambodian Microfinance Association revealed that Cambodia 's non-performing loans, defined as loans in default for more than three months, had declined to $11.5 million, or 1.9 percent of overall, from 2.4 percent worth $12.8 million at the end of the second quarter. Association Chairman Chea Phalarin pointed to improvement in the economy as a prime driver behind the growth of profits and stronger loan performance among the Kingdom's 23 microfinance institutions.
Accessed on 27 October < http://www.phnompenhpost.com/npls-fall-amid-signs-of-a-strong>

INDIA
India Inc growth story gets better, Economic Times , 18 October 2010
India is doing well. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has come out to state that the economy will grow by 9.7 percent in 2010 and 8.4 percent in 2011. That India has well and truly recovered from the recession is now well-established and it is currently undergoing a transition from the public stimulus to private sector-led growth. The economy is on the fulcrum of an increasing growth curve. India is growing faster than just about every other country with China being the only exception . Given this backdrop, one can say the economy is back on track and the major drivers for further growth are in place. According to a leading consultancy house, the economy will grow fivefold in the next 20 years. This is probably why the foreign institutional investor (FII) investments in India are continuing unabated despite the rising valuations.
Accessed on 18 October < http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/features/financial-times/>

JAPAN
Japan : Exports up 14% but strong yen slowing pace, The Japan Times , 26 October 2010
Japanese exports continued to increase with a preliminary gain of 14.4 percent in September, but the pace is slowing because of the yen's summer surge and sluggish consumption in other Asian economies, the government said Monday. The value of exports expanded for the 10th consecutive month to ¥5.843 trillion compared with the previous year. That's slower than the downwardly revised 15.5 percent logged in August and the 23.5 percent logged in October, which is raising government concern that weakness in exports and industrial output is slowing down the economy.
Accessed on 26 October < http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nb20101026a3.html >

SOUTH KOREA
BOK freezes key rate for 3rd month amid global currency row By Kim Soo-yeon, Yonhap, 14 October 2010
SEOUL , South Korea 's central bank froze the key interest rate for the third straight month on Thursday in the face of the flagging global economy and the local currency's sharp gain to the dollar. Beating market expectations, Bank of Korea (BOK) Gov. Kim Choong-soo and his fellow policymakers froze the benchmark seven-day repo rate, dubbed the base rate, at 2.25 percent. After the central bank's monthly rate-setting session, the top central banker raised concerns that rising currency volatility would likely serve as downside risks to the growth of the South Korean economy.
Accessed on 14 October < http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/business/>

South Korea's economic growth slows down in Q3, Xinhua , 27 October 2010
SEOUL , South Korea 's economy grew at a slower rate in the third quarter than in the previous quarter, with the recovery pace losing momentum amid the stronger local currency, the central bank said Wednesday. According to the Bank of Korea, South Korea posted a 0.7 percent quarter-on-growth for its gross domestic product (GDP) during the July-September period. Considering the nation's GDP growth marked 1.4 percent during the second quarter, the Q3 figure indicates the nation's growth pace recently slowed down. The slowdown came amid the South Korean won climbing as much as 7.2 percent against the U.S. dollar in the third quarter alone.
Accessed on 27 October < http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010>

THAILAND
BoT: Fixed exchange rate 'dangerous', Bangkok Post, 15 October 2010
The Bank of Thailand will not reintroduce a fixed exchange rate policy as it would be harmful for the country's exchange rate system, BoT governor Prasarn Trairatvorakul said on Friday. The 1997 financial crisis occurred because the then government tried to fix the exchange rate, Mr Prasarn added. The BoT chief was responding to suggestions by former deputy prime minister and finance minister Virabongsa Ramangura that the central bank should cut its policy rate and reintroduce a fixed exchange rate to curb the baht's appreciation. “The central bank is now using a flexible exchange rate, to avoid distorting the money market mechanism,” Mr Prasarn said.
Accessed on 15 October < http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/economics/>

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
US trade gap widens on increased Chinese imports, BBC News , 14 October 2010
A slight increase in US exports was outstripped by a rise in imports The US trade deficit was wider than expected in August, figures have shown, in the wake of record imports from China. US Commerce Department figures showed the gap between imported and exported goods grew by 8.8% to $46.4bn (£29bn). Imports from China grew 6.1% in August to a record $35.3bn. The US trade deficit with China also set a new record of $28.0bn. US exports to China remained essentially unchanged at $7.3bn. The previous record trade deficit with China was $27.9bn in October 2008. The US has been pressing China to let the value of the yuan rise against other currencies.
Accessed on 14 October < http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11544677 >

VIET NAM
Viet Nam : Rice prices go up but enterprises commit to meeting domestic demand, Viet Nam Net,
19 October 2010
The information about the rice price increases in the world market has promptly pushed the domestic prices up. Meanwhile, enterprises have been told to get ready to stabilize the market, in case the “price fever”, the thing that once occurred in 2008, returns. Sales agents in HCM City have raised the retail prices by 3,000-10,000 dong per kilo for every five-kilo bag. Especially, Thai sticky rice is now selling at over 30,000 dong per kilo, or 8,000 dong per kilo higher than previously. Scented sticky rice is being sold at 60,000 dong per kilo, an increase of 12,000 dong per kilo.
Accessed on 19 October < http://english.vietnamnet.vn/Rice-prices-go-up-but-enterprises>

B. TRADE FACILITATION AND INVESTMENT PROMOTION

ASEAN
Thailand: On board the Asian express, The Bangkok Post , 18 October 2010
With emerging economies offering large markets for goods and services with correspondingly high growth potential and low factors-of-production costs, a sizeable shift in trading power is occurring from West to East. The growth of e-commerce, the continued creation of free-trade zones, free-trade agreements and treaties between various countries, all point to the liberalisation of international trade with global multinational companies and SMEs alike poised to invest and reap the returns the emerging markets offer.
Accessed on 18 October < http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/economics/>

 JAPAN
Japan : APEC farm ministers find common ground, The Japan Times , 18 October 2010
Niigata pact sets sights on food production, trade. Pacific Rim economies agreed Sunday on the need to boost agricultural production and facilitate farm trade and investment at their first ministerial meeting on food in Niigata Prefecture . The 21-member Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum adopted the Niigata Declaration on APEC Food Security and an action plan aimed at preventing food shortages amid global population growth and the threat of climate change. "Increasing the availability of sufficient, safe and nutritious food in the APEC region through expanded supply capacity, underpinned by viable rural communities, will be necessary to address a possible supply-demand imbalance for food that may result from future population and income growth," the declaration said.
Accessed on 18 October < http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nb20101018a1.html >

MYANMAR
Myanmar : FDI jumps by more than half in July, says CSO, Myanmar Times, 21 October 2010
CONTRACTED foreign direct investment in Myanmar jumped by US$5.63 billion in July, with the money pumped into the oil and gas sector, figures from the Central Statistical Organisation revealed last week. The new investment takes total FDI in the 2010-11 financial year to almost $16 billion, with the majority in oil and gas ($9.81 billion), followed by electricity production ($5.03 billion) and mining ($997 million), the statistics show. China topped the list of investor countries this fiscal year, contributing $10.48 billion, while Thailand spent $2.94 billion and South Korea signed contracts worth $2.42 billion, according to the CSO. The amount of money invested in Myanmar in the first four months of the 2010-11 fiscal year is more than 50 times larger than the total for the preceding year. In May alone, more than $8 billion in investment accords were signed, boosting total contracted FDI since 1988 by more than 50 percent.
Accessed on 21 October < http://www.mmtimes.com/2010/business/545/54501biz.html >

RUSSIA
Russian government approves 5-year privatization plan, RIA Novosti, 21 October 2010
The Russian government has approved a plan to privatize a wide range of state property from energy to agriculture and banking to transportation in the next five years, First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov said. For the first time in its history, the government may offer a quarter of Russian Railways monopoly for sale in 2013-2015 and 50 percent minus one share of the country's largest shipping company, Sovcomflot, in 2011-2013. If all company shipyards are loaded fully, the government may sell a controlling stake in Sovcomflot before 2015, Shuvalov said late on Wednesday. In the oil sector, the government will offer up to 15 percent of the country's top oil company, Rosneft, from 2012 to diminish its controlling stake by 2015 via asset swaps. After 2015, the state's stake will continue falling to zero.
Accessed on 1 October < http://www.en.rian.ru/business/20101021/161034056.html >

USA
UN issues guidelines on private standards for exporters in developing countries, Pfcmc, 25 October 2010
Exporters in developing countries can now benefit from new guidelines prepared by the United Nations industrial development agency to help them set private standards for products such as garments, footwear and furniture, and to improve access to global markets.
The guidebook, published by the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and entitled “Making private standards work for you: A guide to private standards in the garments, footwear and furniture sectors,” outlines business values, norms, ethics, codes and principles which are considered crucial for promoting social development and environmental sustainability in global value chains.
Accessed on 25 October < http://www.pfcmc.com/apps/news/story.asp=>

C. WTO-RELATED NEWS

CHINA
China welcomes WTO's final ruling on Sino-U.S. poultry dispute, Xinhua , 26 October 2010
BEIJING , China welcomes the World Trade Organization's (WTO) final ruling that United States restrictions on Chinese poultry imports are inconsistent with WTO regulations, the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) said Tuesday. The ruling was announced Monday in a report from the WTO's Disputes Settlement Body (DSB). The U.S. ban on Chinese poultry product imports has damaged China 's poultry industry, undermining the interests and rights of Chinese enterprises, an unnamed official from the MOC's Department of Treaty and Law said in a statement on the MOC website.
Accessed on 26 October < http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/china/>

INDIA
WTO drug seizure case to stay until EU changes Customs laws: Khullar, Economic Times, 12 October 2010
NEW DELHI : India will not withdraw its case against the European Union at the World Trade Organisation for wrongful seizure of drug consignments belonging to Indian companies until the regional grouping agrees to amend its Customs laws to prevent such action in future, commerce secretary Rahul Khullar said. Commerce and industry minister Anand Sharma had said last week that the 27-member EU had accepted India 's position and agreed amended its rules. He had also said that India would now want to withdraw the case filed at the WTO. “What the minister had said is that Mr Gucht (EU trade commissioner) has given him an assurance that this matter will be resolved. Wherever necessary, changes will be made to the regulations to prevent such type of recurrence,” Mr Khullar said.
Accessed on 12 September < http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/WTO-drug-seizure-casestay>

D. REGIONAL AND BILATERAL TRADE AND INVESTMENT RELATIONS

ASEAN – ROK - VIETNAM
ASEAN-ROK FTA helps Vietnam boost exports to ROK, Viet Nam Net , 11 October 2010
The export revenue of some key export products to the Republic of Korea (ROK) has increased sharply recently, since Vietnamese enterprises have taken full advantage of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between ASEAN, of which Vietnam is a member, and ROK. Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Thanh Bien has predicted that the two way trade revenue between Vietnam and South Korea would reach $10 billion this year. The figure is expected to be higher at $15 billion by 2015. “The two way trade revenue between Vietnam and South Korea in 2003-2006 was between $3 billion and $4.5 billion. However, the figure soared to $6.5 billion in 2007 and it is expected to rise to $10 billion this year. The sharp increase in the two way trade turnover is attributed to the ASEAN-ROK FTA,” Bien said.
Accessed on 11 October < http://english.vietnamnet.vn/aSeaN-RoK-FTa-helps-Vietnam

Accessed on 19 October < http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2010101944113/>

INDIA – JAPAN
India, Japan agree on broad trade deal, the Japan Times , 26 October 2010
EPA will offset fallout from China ; nuke pact pending. Prime Minister Naoto Kan and visiting Indian leader Manmohan Singh officially agreed Monday in Tokyo to activate an economic partnership agreement as soon as possible and to speed up talks on civilian nuclear cooperation. The deal to strengthen economic ties between Japan and India , a fast-growing democratic nation with a population of 1.2 billion, comes at a time when Asian nations are becoming increasingly concerned about China 's activities in the East China and South China seas. "We were able to confirm and believe firmly in the deepening of the strategic global partnership between Japan and India ," Kan said at a news conference after the summit. "We also confirmed that we will strengthen cooperation in the field of our security and economy."
Accessed on 26 October < http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20101026a1.html >

PHILIPPINES – VIET NAM
Philippines : Manila , Hanoi sign 4 agreements on first day, The Manila Bulletin, 27 October 2010
MANILA and Hanoi on Tuesday signed four agreements on defense, education, and search and rescue on the first day of President Aquino's trip to Vietnam that will cost Filipino taxpayers P11.3 million (est. $262,791). Aquino is in Vietnam for his first state visit as president on Oct. 26-27 and for the Asean Summit and Related Meetings on Oct. 28-31. Aquino and Vietnamese President Nguyen Minh Triet witnessed the signing of the agreements between Philippine and Vietnamese officials at the Presidential Palace. The agreements signed were: The memorandum of agreement (MOA) on academic cooperation, which seeks to promote cooperation in higher education and professional training, and provide a framework within which detailed proposals for programs on education cooperation are to be jointly considered.
Accessed on 26 October < http://www.malaya.com.ph/10272010/news4.html >

E. DID YOU KNOW THAT?

GLOBAL
How do you spell growth? Think CIVITS, not BRIC, The Wall Street Journal, 17 September 2010
Forget the BRICs; it's all about the CIVITS. The new buzzword among hedge-fund managers in London, CIVITS—China, India, Vietnam, Indonesia, Turkey and South Africa—are tipped to be the hot spots to watch for growth through the current decade. The term BRIC, coined in 2001 by Goldman Sachs chief economist Jim O'Neilland referring to Brazil , Russia , India and China , has come to be widely used as a way of describing the transfer of economic power to the emerging markets and away from the developed world. But the latest acronym includes only China and India from the original lineup; Brazil is deemed now to be relatively well developed and the love affair with Russia is seen as over.
Accessed on 17 September < http://online.wsj.com/article/>

CHINA – INDONESIA
Chinese, Indonesian glossy paper to face U.S. import duties over subsidies, Bloomberg, 22 September 2010
Glossy paper imported from China and Indonesia will face duties in the U.S. after the Commerce Department ruled the products receive unfair subsidies and are dumped into the American market at a discount. The duties affect $260 million of paper used for magazines, and the dumping duties will reach as much as 135.83 percent for China and 20.13 percent for Indonesia , the department said yesterday in an e-mailed statement. Countervailing duties for subsidies will be as much as 17.94 percent for Indonesia and 178.03 percent for China .
Accessed on 22 September < http://www.bloomberg.com/chinese-indonesian-glossy-paper >

JAPAN
Japan : Moves to weaken yen not over, says Kan, CNN, 22 September 2010
Tokyo, Japan (FT) -- Japan stands ready to intervene again in foreign exchange markets but also plans to put in place broader economic and monetary policies that will help to weaken the yen, according to Naoto Kan, the prime minister. In an interview with the Financial Times, Mr. Kan stressed that Tokyo's yen-selling intervention last week was forced by "drastic" exchange rate moves, a reference to the 15-year highs Japan's currency hit against the dollar following his victory in a ruling party leadership battle. Mr. Kan said there was a "common recognition" among G-20 nations that overly rapid currency movements were undesirable and that he would seek to promote understanding of Japan 's action in New York this week.
Accessed on 22 September < http://edition.cnn.com/2010/BUSINESS/09/21/kan.yen.ft/index.html >

RUSSIA - CHINA
Russia : Medvedev Seeks to Diversify China Trade as Energy Exports Rise, Bloomberg, 24 September 2010
President Dmitry Medvedev travels to China next week in a bid to diversify trade even as Russia plans to boost oil and gas exports to the Asian nation. Medvedev, who took his first presidential trip outside the former Soviet Union to China in 2008, is returning for a three- day visit on Sept. 26 to push his agenda of Russia 's modernization away from a “primitive” resource-based economy. At the same time, Russia is set to open its first oil pipeline to China this year and plans to add natural-gas deliveries in the future, expanding from traditional markets in Europe . The risk is that demand from China , as the world's biggest energy consumer, could drown out Medvedev's attempts to export more value-added goods, analysts said.
Accessed on 24 September < http://www.bloomberg.com/medvedev-seeks-to-diversify>

THAILAND
Thailand : BoT: Baht could get stronger, Bangkok Post , 22 September 2010
The Thai baht could appreciate further if the foreign capital inflow continues, Bank of Thailand (BoT) assistant governor Suchada Kirakul said on Wednesday. More foreign capital could enter Thailand and other countries in Asia as the US central bank would likely keep the short-term interest rate at 0.00 to 0.25 per cent due to its fragile economy and low inflation, Mrs Suchada said. "The BoT will announce details of its plan to allow exporters to pay their freight costs in foreign currencies to ease the strong baht and lower their operating costs. "The bank can implement measures to curb the baht's appreciation after they are announced in the government gazette," she said.
Accessed on 22 September < http://www.bangkokpost.com/bot-baht-could-get-stronger >

F. EVENTS

1. UNESCAP
Asia-Pacific Countries gather at ESCAP to Give Perspective on the Upcoming G20, Bangkok, Thailand, 25-26 October 2010
26 Asia-Pacific countries gather to discuss non-G20 development challenges ahead of Seoul summit

Bangkok (UN ESCAP Information Services) – Representatives of 26 Asia-Pacific countries began a two-day consultation today in Bangkok to coordinate the region's voice and discuss the non-G20 perspectives on the agenda of the G20 Summit to be held on 11-12 November in Seoul, Republic of Korea.
The High-level Consultation on the G20 Seoul Summit: Perspectives from Asia-Pacific has been organized by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) in response to the request to facilitate discussion of non-G20 perspectives, made by this year's G20 chair, the Republic of Korea , during ESCAP's 66th Commission session in May 2010.
<http://www.unescap.org/unis/press/2010/oct/g51_G20.pdf>

2. G20 Seoul Summit 2010, Seoul , Republic of Korea , November 11-12, 2010
Twenty world leaders will come together in Seoul this November to discuss the state of the global economy as it emerges from the financial crisis. Together, they will take the necessary steps
to reduce market volatility and move past the crisis, creating sustainable growth going forward.
< http://www.seoulsummit.kr/eng/goPage.g20?menu_seq>

3. UNDP
Global South-South Development Expo, ILO Headquarters, Geneva , Switzerland , 22 - 26 November, 2010
The GSSD Expo is not designed for the discussion of problems or the presentation of generalized scenarios and prescriptions for solving them. Rather, it is designed solely to enable developing countries and their development partners, including donor agencies, organizations of the United Nations system, and private-sector and civil society organizations to systematically and regularly showcase their evidence-based SSDSs. These solutions are deeply rooted in and developed under historical, political, economic, social and geographical conditions specific to the SSDS-originating countries.
< http://ssc.undp.org/Event.121.0.html?&no_cache=1&tx_dgcontent_pi1[tt_news]>

4. UNCTAD
Building productive capacities in LDCs for inclusive and sustainable development
(UNCTAD pre-LDC IV event), 27-29 October 2010
This event will address the key issue of developing productive capacities in LDCs. It will bring together policymakers from LDCs and donor countries, as well as representatives of international organizations, academia and non-governmental organizations, to debate key policy challenges faced by LDCs and national and international policies required to promote the development of productive capacities in LDCs.

The outcomes of the conference are expected to be substantive inputs to the preparatory and negotiating process for UNLDC IV, and in particular a successor Programme of Action for the LDCs. These should include actionable proposals on possible new LDC-specific international support mechanisms which would support the development of productive capacities.
< http://www.unctad.org/Templates/WebFlyer.asp?intItemID=5703&lang=1 >

5. OECD
Crop World 2010 , congress on the business, science, trade & technology of sustainable global crop production, with participation of the OECD. London , United Kingdom , 1-3 November 2010.
As the leading global crop production congress and exhibition, CropWorld 2010 offers unparalleled networking opportunities for companies that do business in agrochemicals, seeds, crop nutrients, farm machinery, agronomy, legislation & government, and irrigation & water supply. CropWorld 2010 will significantly extend the remit of the former BCPC Congress to encompass every aspect of the crop production value chain from soil preparation and seeds through to shops and store shelves.
Visitor attendees will therefore include CEOs, Managing Directors, Partners, Advisors, Heads of R&D, Sales, Marketing and Academics.
< http://www.crop-world.com/home >

OECD Tokyo Policy Forum  “OECD Southeast Asian Economic Outlook 2010: Rebalancing Growth', with presentations by OECD Deputy Secretary General Mario Amano and
Mario Pezzini, Director, OECD Development Centre. Tokyo , Japan.
<http://www.oecdtokyo.org/theme/deve/2010/20101015saeo_p.html#English >

G. RECENT PUBLICATIONS ON TRADE AND INVESTMENT

	UNNExT Brief No. 3, Towards a Single Window Trading Environment – Case of Korea 's National Paperless Trade Platform – uTradeHub, May 2010 UNNExT Brief series covers a range of critical issues to be addressed in the successful development of paperless trade and Single Window initiatives. Also, they showcase best practices in the region to share experiences and lessons learned. This Brief introduces Korea 's national paperless trade platform, uTradeHub, which is recognized as a good practice in the region as well as in the world. The Brief covers policy background and legal framework, evolution of the system and its services, governance structures for its operation, and future enhancement plans. The Brief also highlights the significant benefits to the trading community, and success factors and lessons learnt in the implementation of the uTradeHub. Accessed on 14 October < http://www.unescap.org/unnext/pub/brief3.pdf >
	UNNExT Brief No. 4, Towards a Single Window Trading Environment – Case of Malaysia's National Single Window , July 2010 This Brief introduces Malaysia 's experience in implementing a National Single Window for trade facilitation. Malaysia , an early adopter of paperless trade in the region, has successfully developed a national Single Window environment. This Brief outlines how Malaysia has evolved into the current Single Window environment and highlights challenges, critical success factors and benefits of this effort, which can bring valuable lessons for those countries that are in early stages of implementing national Single Windows. Accessed on 14 October < http://www.unescap.org/unnext/pub/brief4.pdf >
	Assessment Report of Energy Efficiency Institutional Arrangements in Asia , UNESCAP , (available online, pdf version, 6.38 MB, 212 pages) This Report presents a review of the existing EE institutional arrangements in Central, South, and South-East Asia and includes a presentation of good practices and case studies of some national and international EE institutions. Accessed on 23 October <http://eeasia.unescap.org/PDFs/Assessment-Report.pdf>
	The Information Economy Report 2010: ICTs, Enterprises and Poverty Alleviation, UNCTAD, (available online, PDF version 1240 KB, 171 Pages ) The Information Economy Report 2010: ICT, Enterprises and Poverty Alleviation is the fifth in the flagship series published by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). As one of few annual reports that monitor global trends related to information and communication technologies (ICTs) from a development perspective, the Report is a valuable reference source for policymakers in developing countries. In the 2010 edition, special attention is given to the potential impact of ICTs in enterprises for reducing poverty and improving livelihoods. The evidence presented in this Report suggests that more attention should be given by policymakers and other stakeholders to opportunities in this area. Accessed on 23 October < http://www.unctad.org/en/docs/ier2010_embargo2010_en.pdf >
	International Trade Statistics 2010, WTO, (available online, pdf version, 254 pages) International Trade Statistics 2010 offers a comprehensive overview of the latest developments in world trade, covering the details of merchandise trade by product and trade in commercial services by category. Each chapter is introduced by a highlights section that identifies the most salient trends in the data and illustrates them with numerous charts and maps. There is also a methodological chapter that explains essential concepts and definitions used in compiling the statistics, and an appendix with detailed data on trade by region. International Trade Statistics 2010 serves as an invaluable reference for researchers, policy makers and anyone interested in international trade. Accessed on 26 October <http://www.wto.org/english/res_e/statis_e/its2010_e/its2010_e.pdf>
	World Tariff Profiles 2010, WTO (available online, pdf version, 1550 KB, 235 pages) World Tariff Profiles provides invaluable information on market access. The listing of the tariffs imposed by each WTO member on its imports is complemented with an analysis of the market access conditions it faces in its major export markets. The publication provides a comprehensive picture of tariffs. Presented in a handy format, it offers both summary tables and country-by-country breakdowns, with one page devoted to each country. The standardized presentation allows for analyses and comparisons between countries and sectors and between bound and applied duties for WTO members. This joint publication of the World Trade Organization (WTO), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the International Trade Centre (ITC) is aimed at both specialists and non-specialists alike. Accessed on 26 October <http://www.wto.org/english/res_e/booksp_e/tariff_profiles10_e.pdf>
	Making private standards work for you: A guide to private standards in the garments, footwear and furniture sectors, UNIDO, (available online, pdf version, 1235 KB, 76 pages) Buyers and producers are faced with many overlapping but non-aligned standards. According to some estimates, more than 1,000 codes of conduct and management systems exist. But most companies in developing countries do not have much tangible information. “Making Private Standards Work for You: A guide to private standards in the garments, footwear and furniture sectors” is expected to provide producers in the footwear, garments and furniture sectors who would like to start or continue a business relationship with a global brand and/or retailer with some clarity in terms of the abundant, but not readily accessible, information available on private standards and with guidance for turning private standards to their advantage. It should also be helpful for exporters in other sectors. Accessed on 26 October <http://www.unido.org/fileadmin/user_media.pdf>
	Model Contracts For Small Firms: Legal Guidance For Doing International Business , ITC (available online, pdf version, 956 KB, 148 pages) Small and medium-sized enterprises, the backbone of many economies, did nearly all their business within national borders until just a few decades ago. Now they are exporting to and importing from all corners of the world. But most small firms do not have access to the legal advice they need at the best of times, and even less so in the current economic climate when they are under pressure to cut costs. To meet this challenge, the International Trade Centre (ITC) set up a network of top trade lawyers to create this series of model contracts that take into account the increasing sophistication of international trade transactions, incorporate internationally recognized standards and best practices, and still try to make things as simple as they can be in a global context. Accessed on 27 October < http://www.intracen.org/publications/Free-publications/Model_Contracts.pdf >
	Governments, Non-State Actors and Trade Policy-Making: Negotiating Preferentially or Multilaterally?, WTO, (available as printed copy only) One of the most pressing issues confronting the multilateral trade system is the challenge posed by the rapid proliferation of preferential trade agreements. Plenty has been written about why governments might choose to negotiate preferentially or multilaterally, but until now it has been written almost exclusively from the perspective of governments. We know very little about how non-state actors view this issue of ‘forum choice', nor how they position themselves to influence choices by governments about whether to emphasize preferential trade agreements or the WTO. This book addresses that issue squarely through case studies of trade policy-making and forum choice in eight developing countries: Chile , Colombia , Mexico , South Africa , Kenya , Jordan , Indonesia and Thailand . The case studies are based on original research by the authors, including interviews with state and non-state actors involved in the trade policy-making process in the eight countries of this study. Accessed on 27 October < http://www.wto.org/english/res_e/publications_e/gov_2010_e.htm >

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