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last update: 28 April 2008 |
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What's New |
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South Bulletin: Reflections and Foresights (Issue 14, 1 May 2008) The Editorial and Op-Ed appearing in this Issue are on - "Reflections on UNCTAD XII" and "UNCTAD XII: Further Weakening UNCTAD's Intergovernmental Machinery?" respectively. Analysis and commentaries appearing in the Bulletin, include those on Towards National and Collective Self-Reliance of the South, African Commodities: How Corporatization Squeezed Out Producers?, New Developments in South- South Cooperation, Global Trade Negotiations: Emerging Issues, and on South-South Regional Integration and Sustainable (Co-) Development. ... May 2008
Press Release: Six Major Challenges Ahead for UNCTAD Dr. Yash Tandon, Executive Director of the South Centre delivered his statement "Towards National and Collective Self Reliance of the South" at the General Debate of the Twelfth Session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD-XII) on 23rd April at Accra, Ghana ... April 2008
Statement by Dr. Yashpal Tandon, Executive Director of the South Centre To the Twelfth Session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, Accra, Ghana, 23 April 2008 ... April 2008
South Centre/CIEL Intellectual Property Quarterly Update, First Quarter 2008 The present issue examines the process and the development of model legislation and standards on border measures in light of their consequences for use of flexibilities under the TRIPS Agreement and the need to promote balance in IP protection. The second section presents major developments in the first quarter of 2008 on IP related issues at the WTO, WIPO, CBD, IGF, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and regional and bilateral free trade agreements ... April 2008
Fact Sheet N°8: Competition Policy in Economic Partnership Agreements (CARIFORUM text) This Fact Sheet N°8 overviews provisions related to competition policy in the CARIFORUM EPA text, initialed by 15 Caribbean countries on 16 December 2007, and assesses its developmental impacts, including for regions which have not yet agreed to competition policy provisions in their EPAs with the EU. It is part of a series of Fact Sheets designed to improve stakeholders’ understanding of the legal, economic and developmental implications of specific provisions in the EPA texts agreed to, as well as to suggest options for improvement, particularly for the benefit of ACP countries and regions which are in the process of finalizing an EPA text ... April 2008
South FACE: The Great Commodities Game: Developing Countries Fight to Survive While Giant MNCs Thrive Report of the South Centre and ActionAid joint event organized on 19 April 2008 in Accra, Ghana ... April 2008
Non-remunerated internships with the Translation Unit The Translation Unit of the South Centre is seeking to fill two non-remunerated translation internship vacancies (one French translator and one Spanish translator) starting in June/July 2008 for a minimum period of 2 months. Interns will be expected to translate technical material covering the areas of work of the South Centre and to contribute to other activities of the Translation Unit. Interested applicants should send their applications before 9 May 2008. Click here for more information ... April 2008
Commodity Dependence and Development: Suggestions to tackle the Commodities Problem A joint publication by South Centre and ActionAid A positive correlation has been found between dependence on primary agricultural commodities and poverty, as measured by the human development index. This is due to three prominent features of commodity markets: price volatility; the secular decline of long-term prices; and market concentration ... April 2008
The UNCTAD XII Draft Ministerial Text: Main Areas for Negotiation Going to Accra This note provides an overview of the main areas of divergence between major groups of UNCTAD Member States - in particular between developing and developed countries - in relation to specific paragraphs of the UNCTAD XII text ... April 2008
South Bulletin: Reflections and Foresights (Issue 13, 16 April 2008) The Editorial and Op-Ed appearing in this Issue is on - "Why Strengthening the UNCTAD is also in the Interest of the North" and "Addressing the Challenge of Commodities Dependence and Development" respectively. Analysis and commentaries appearing in the Bulletin, include those on the India-Africa Summit: Reinvigorating South-South Cooperation, Africa's Expectations: A Development Outcome of EPA and Doha Negotiations, The World Customs Organisation: Setting New Standards of Intellectual Property Enforcement through the Back Door?, New and Emerging Challenges for the South: Systemic Failures (Part I) and Investment Must Address Concerns of Developing Countries ... April 2008
Rebalancing the Supply Chain: Buyer Power, Commodities and Competition Policy The power of increasing concentrated retail and processor buyers in global agricultural supply chain allows them to exert pressure on their immediate suppliers, which can then be passed down the supply chain to vulnerable commodity producers and their workers. Traidcraft and the South Centre are concerned about the impacts of this on some of the most vulnerable producers in the world ... April 2008
Media Summary: The Commodities Game - Giant MNCs squeeze out millions of small producers Launch of the Joint Action Aid - South Centre Report on Commodities Trade, UNCTAD XII, Accra, Ghana. 19 April 2008 Multinational corporations have further tightened the screws on producers at the bottom of the economic ladder in developing countries, as an ever-decreasing number of these global giants are able to use their growing clout to skew the terms of trade against the poor, according to a joint study brought out by ActionAid and the South Centre.... April 2008
Joint South Centre / Unitar e-Learning Course on Intellectual Property Policy and Development
With the adoption of the WIPO Development Agenda, the international
community and developing countries in particular will have to address
various IP policy issues such as public health and patents, protection
of traditional knowledge, and access to digital content. This
instructor-led online course, which has been reviewed by leading
academics and policy makers, will provide participants from the South
and North with the necessary background knowledge to address IP policy
issues in various areas such as public health, agriculture, traditional
knowledge, and digital and internet content.
..
April 2008
The National Project and the Role of the Engaged Intellectual of the South Keynote speech delivered by Dr. Yash Tandon, Executive Director of the South Centre, in honour of Professor Norman Girvan at the IXth Annual Conference of the Sir Arthur Lewis Institute of Social and Economic Studies (SALISES), Kingston, Jamaica, 26 March 2008. ... April 2008
Press Release: New Voting Formula at IMF Falls Short of Bringing Genuine Change The proposed changes with respect to votes in the IMF as a result of a new voting formula – while positive in recognizing the need for such changes – do not however go far enough to remedy the governance imbalance in the IMF. ... April 2008
With the multilateral trade negotiations at an impasse, with the rising concern on climate change and energy insecurity, rising international food prices which disproportionately affect the poor, the time is ripe for all concerned on development to start taking concrete actions to address the plight of the commodity crisis. The time is high for translating pledges and action plans on commodities into concrete actions. Given UNCTAD’s historical role, there is no better framework other than UNCTAD XII for gathering the steam for this ... March 2008
Policy Brief 13 - Implementing the WIPO Development Agenda: Next Steps Forward The Policy Brief examines the factors that are fundamental to achieving the policy goals and provides a strategic base for the implementation of the WIPO Development Agenda ... March 2008
South FACE: Reflections from Formulating the Chinese National IP Policies The sixth South Innovation Perspectives seminar was organized by the South Centre on 12 March 2008 in Geneva on "Reflections from Formulating the Chinese National IP Policies". The lead presenter was Dr. ZHANG Qin, Deputy Commissioner, State Intellectual Property Office, China & Standing Deputy Director General of National IP Strategy Formulation Leading Group Office, Beijing. The key points emerging from this seminar have been presented through the South FACE ... March 2008
EPA Negotiations: State of Play and Strategic Considerations for the Way Forward This Analytical Note describes the process that led to the conclusion, in the last hours of 2007, of interim EPAs between the EU and 20 ACP countries as well as of a comprehensive EPA with the 15 CARIFORUM states. It overviews the contents of these agreements and comments on some elements related to their consistency with WTO rules. On each topic, the note highlights the developmental implications of the texts that have been initialled. Finally, it overviews some of the main challenges that ACP governments face now in the EPA negotiations and provides suggestions regarding strategic options for the way forward ... March 2008
Fact Sheet N°7: Market Access for Trade in Goods in Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) This Fact Sheet Nb.7 overviews market access provisions related to the liberalisation of merchandise trade under the Interim Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) that were initialed in the end of 2007 between the EU and 35 countries in Africa, the Caribbean and Pacific (ACP). It is part of a series of Fact Sheets designed to improve stakeholders’ understanding of the legal, economic and developmental implications of specific provisions in the texts agreed to as well as to suggest options for improvement, particularly for the ACP countries and regions which are still finalizing an EPA ... March 2008
This note comments on various specific sections of the Revised Draft Modalities for Agriculture (TN/AG/W/4 rev. 1 of 8th February 2008). It highlights elements that were revised and pending contentious issues. A useful table summarizing the treatment of WTO Members with respect to tariff reduction modalities is also included ... February 2008
Comments to the Chairman’s Revised Draft Modalities for WTO NAMA Negotiations This note reviews the revised Draft modalities for WTO NAMA negotiations prepared by the Chairman of the Negotiating Group on Market Access (TN/MA/W/103). After undertaking an overall assessment of the revised NAMA draft modalities text, this note comments on various specific sections thereof, particularly with respect to developing countries’ concerns and interests in these negotiations. A useful table summarises the treatment of WTO Members with respect to tariff reduction modalities ... February 2008
Vacancy Announcement for the Post of Executive Director The South Centre invites applications for the post of Executive Director ... February 2008
South Centre Press Release, 16 February 2008 ... February 2008
Promoting the Development of the South in the Trade and Climate Regimes This Analytical Note stresses that addressing the challenges of development and climate change requires an integrated approach. Both the trade and climate regimes have a role to play. In each case, a development perspective must guide discussions to ensure an outcome that advances the needs and aspirations of developing countries and their peoples. This paper identifies a number of areas where developed countries are falling short in promoting development-oriented outcomes on trade and climate issues, and where further efforts should be made ... February 2008
EPA Negotiations in the Caribbean Region: Some Issues of Concern This Analytical Note explores some of the main challenges related to the conclusion of an EPA between CARIFORUM and European countries, particularly with respect to: Market Access and regional integration, Agriculture, Manufacturing, and trade in Services. This note highlights some of the region’s main concerns and explores some possible positive linkages between the EPAs and the WTO Doha Round of negotiations in an effort to increase negotiators’ understanding about the EPA developmental implications ... February 2008
Panel event organized on 4 February 2008 in Dubai on the sides of the Fourth Global Congress on Combating Counterfeiting and Piracy, hosted by the World Customs Organization and Dubai Customs, and co-convened by INTERPOL and the World Intellectual Property Organisation, to discuss the policy options available to developing countries to make compatible their broader national public policy objectives with their obligations on the enforcement of intellectual property rights ... February 2008
Intellectual Property Quarterly Update: Fourth Quarter 2007 This issue examines the relationship between the Convention on Biological Diversity, the WIPO and the WTO in the context of the discussion in the Working Group on Access and Benefit Sharing. It also provides an update on major developments at multilateral, regional and bilateral level concerning intellectual property rights, innovation and access to knowledge ... February 2008
State of Play in Agriculture Negotiations: Country Groupings’ positions - Revised Domestic Support Pillar, Export Competition Pillar and Cotton InitiativeThis note provides an overview of the position of various countries and group of countries active in the WTO agriculture negotiations with respect to critical issues discussed in the WTO Agriculture Negotiations ... January 2008
An increasingly important phenomenon in globalization is the movement of health service suppliers from developing to developed countries. Concern has arisen as to what this movement means for pre-existing obligations on States, particularly that relating to the provision of universal access to basic health services. Developing countries are actively engaged in the WTO GATS negotiations for enhanced market access and national treatment commitments for the presence of their natural persons supplying services in developed country markets. Is there a clash between obligation and interest? In Research Papers 16 this question is delved into-with thought going into possible policy options that governments may consider in balancing this seemingly paradoxical situation ... January 2008
Policy Brief 12 - Who Should Bear the TRIPS Enforcement Cost? The Policy Brief explores an ever important issue of enforcement costs ensued by the TRIPS Agreement. It analysis the current mandate under TRIPS with reference to enforcement obligations and suggests that member countries must look at the issue from a cost-benefit perspective and develop socially optimal guidelines by utilising the current flexibilities under TRIPS. Developing countries are hence strongly recommended not to bear any additional obligations going beyond the common minimum standards as required by the TRIPS Agreement without undertaking careful empirical studies ... January 2008
The Research paper discusses the role of South-South cooperation on IP rights and technological development. It identifies the problem on multilateral IP rights norm setting and the technological development needs of developing countries. It is submitted that South-South Cooperation based on agreed principles and objectives can play a strong complimentary role to multilateral, regional and bilateral norm-setting on IP rights ... January 2008
Panel event organized by the South Centre to discuss the different approaches to the disclosure of origin issue at the WTO, WIPO and the CBD and examine areas of overlap, potential areas of conflict and the future of disclosure of origin provision in these fora. The event was held on 24 January 2008 at Palais des Nations, Geneva on the sides of the 6th Open Ended Working Group on Access & Benefit Sharing being held from 21 - 25 January 2008 ... January 2008
Research Papers 15 - The Changing Structure and Governance of Intellectual Property Enforcement This research paper provides a broad overview and analysis of the changing multilateral framework for intellectual property enforcement and develops policy recommendations for developing countries. It examines current multilateral obligations and traces developments in the field of intellectual property enforcement in various multilateral fora, including the WCO, WHO, WIPO, WTO and Interpol. Finally, it analyses the approach of the United States and European Union to strengthening intellectual property enforcement in third countries through regional, bilateral and unilateral mechanisms such as regional and bilateral trade agreements ... January 2008
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Upcoming Events |
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Past Events in 2008 |
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Trade, Commodities and Development: Perspectives on a Development Agenda in Commodities Trade International Conference Centre, Accra, 19 April
South-North Dialogue Series: Capacity Building in Climate Change for Developing Countries, South Centre, Geneva 13:00 - 15:30, 16 April
Sixth South Innovation Perspectives Series, Palais des Nations, Geneva, 12 March
Policy Options for Developing Countries on the Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights, Mina A'Salam Hotel, Dubai, 4 February
Disclosure of Origin at the CBD, WIPO and the WTO: Conflict, Coherence or Complementarity? Palais des Nations, Geneva, 24 January |
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© 2006, South Centre, Geneva, Switzerland |
