More Trade News in Brief Week 19 (4 – 10 May 2015)
South Korea, Vietnam Sign FTA
The bilateral FTA upgrades the South Korea – ASEAN agreement by further cutting import duties, more than 90 percent of all their traded goods.
Check here for more.
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Digital Single Market for Europe
The Digital Single Market strategy is made up of three policy areas or ‘pillars’:
Better online access to digital goods and services
An environment where digital networks and services can prosper
Digital as a driver for growth
Please read more here.
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ECB publishes its Euro Money Market Study 2014
The European Central Bank (ECB) is publishing its biennial report entitled “Euro Money Market Study 2014”.
Check it here.
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ICC Revises DOCDEX Rules
The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) has revised its DOCDEX rules, a dispute resolution mechanism specifically designed to address trade finance concerns.
Check here for more.
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New ICC Cyber Security Guide
The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) has published a new straight-speaking guide to help companies of all sizes manage their approach to cyber security and mitigate threats posed by cybercrime.
Click here for more.
Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)
Posted by Bogdan Marius Beleuz in Banking System, Financial & Investment Markets, Geopolitical Issues, Globalization Challenges, International Trading, More Trade News in Brief on April 3, 2015
The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) is an international financial institution proposed by the government of China.
At least 47 countries and territories from five continents have applied to join the Beijing-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank as founding members.
Sweden and Kyrgyzstan were among the last to apply before the deadline, 31 March 2015, adding further weight to the regional financing body, which has seen its influence grow even before it officially starts operation.
Check here for more.
More Trade News in Brief Week 12 (16 – 22 March 2015)
Posted by Bogdan Marius Beleuz in Agriculture & Food Security, Auditing & Accounting, European Union Issues, European Union Regulation, Financial & Investment Markets, Financial Transactions, Fiscality, Fiscality, Auditing & Accounting, Global Financial System, Global Tax Agreements, Intellectual Property, International Trading, Law & Legislation, More Trade News in Brief, Reports & Analysis, Statistics, Reports & Analysis on March 23, 2015
* Switzerland, EU Ink New Savings Tax Pact
Switzerland and the European Union (EU) have initialled an agreement on the automatic exchange of tax information (AEOI). Account data will be collected from 2017, with the first exchange scheduled for 2018.
See more clicking here.
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* EU: Combatting Corporate Tax Avoidance
The European Commission presented a package of tax transparency measures as part of its ambitious agenda to tackle corporate tax avoidance and harmful tax competition in the EU. A key element of this Tax Transparency Package is a proposal to introduce the automatic exchange of information between Member States on their tax rulings
Read more here.
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* China and US Telecoms Giants Lead Global Patent Activity in 2014
According to the UN World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) annual review of international patent filings, a leading Chinese telecoms giant overtook a Japanese firm as the largest applicant last year, and China and the US together accounted for 87 per cent of the total growth in filings under WIPO’s Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT).
Under that system, some 215,000 applications were filed in 2014, a 4.5 per cent increase over the previous year, WIPO said in a news release.
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* WTO: Assistance in Food Safety, Animal and Plant Health
Five agencies and their partners operating a programme to help developing countries meet international standards on food safety and animal and plant health have approved plans for 2015–2019 designed to further strengthen safe trade.
The decision will allow the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF) to continue to provide assistance to developing countries,
The STDF was set up in 2004 by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), World Bank, World Health Organization (WHO) and World Trade Organization (WTO), and is run by the five partners together with donor countries and representatives of developing countries.
News from UNCTAD
* Global Investment Trends in 2014 and Prospects for 2015
Global foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows declined by 8% in 2014. A solid FDI rise remains distant, reports the latest UNCTAD Global Investment Trends.
Download: Global Investment Trends Monitor No. 18.
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* UNCTAD and WTO launch partnership on Integrated Trade Database
UNCTAD and the WTO agreed to cooperate in assisting the WTO members in implementing notification requirements for the WTO Integrated Data Base (IDB).
UNCTAD Automated System for Customs Data (ASYCUDA).
An integrated customs management system for international trade and transport operations in a modern automated environment.
More Trade News in Brief Week 3 (12 – 18 January 2015)
* World Employment and Social Outlook – Trends 2015
The new ILO report includes a forecast of global unemployment levels and explains the factors behind this trend, including continuing inequality and falling wage shares.
Download the report from here.
Read more here.
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* IMF Downgrades Global Growth Forecast
According to its World Economic Outlook (WEO) update , the IMF lowered growth expectations for this year and the next for most countries due to slowdown in investment, and urged governments and central banks to pursue economic stimulation policies and structural reforms to boost growth.
Download Full-Text PDF: English
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* UNCTAD – Latest developments in national and international investment policies
UNCTAD’s latest Investment Policy Monitor shown that the vast majority of new investment policy measures were aimed at creating more favourable investment conditions.
Download: Investment Policy Monitor No. 13
Quick link: Investment Policy Monitor (Series)
News from ASEAN
Posted by Bogdan Marius Beleuz in Geopolitical Issues, International Trading, Logistics & Transportation, More Trade News in Brief, Standardization & Harmonization, Worlwide Customs on November 10, 2014
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* ASEAN to Pilot Customs Transit System An ASEAN Customs Transit System (ACTS) will be piloted in Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. The system, aimed at facilitating the movement of transit goods by road within ASEAN. Read more following the link.
More Trade News in Brief Week 44 (27 October – 2 November 2014)
Posted by Bogdan Marius Beleuz in Agriculture & Food Security, Auditing & Accounting, Banking System, Energy & Natural Resources, Geopolitical Issues, Global Financial System, Global Tax Agreements, Globalization Challenges, International Trading, More Trade News in Brief, Statistics, Reports & Analysis, Sustainable Development on November 9, 2014
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* WTO Report Says Restrictive Trade Measures Continue to Rise in G-20 Economies Restrictive trade measures introduced by G-20 economies since 2008 continue to rise, according to the latest WTO report on recent trade developments issued on 6 November 2014. > WTO Report on G-20 Trade Measures (mid-May 2014 to mid-October 2014) > Summary and Status of G-20 trade and trade-related measures since October 2008 (Excel Format) > OECD/UNCTAD Report on G-20 Investment Measures