Monday 24th November 2008

9h30-13h00

International Environment House II

7 Chemin de Balexert, 1219 Geneva

Salle Rhin

In recent years, an increasing number of countries (such as China, Colombia, Japan, etc) have adopted national IP strategies aimed at the development of an IP system for the promotion of innovation and economic development in the context of the knowledge economy.
 
However, there has not been up to date and in depth discussion between different stakeholders - governments, international organizations and civil society – on the manner in which these strategies are formulated and implemented. A number of policy questions arise in this regard: What are the methodologies followed in the elaboration of these IP strategies? What is the follow-up and implementation? How can we ensure that these strategies take into consideration the specific circumstances and needs of each country as well as their development objectives?

IP strategies are also relevant to the implementation of the WIPO Development Agenda recommendations.

It is with this in mind that UNCTAD and ICTSD are organizing a meeting on IP strategies and sustainable development on Monday the 24th November 2008 in the morning (9h30-13h00) at ICTSD.

 The objectives of the meeting are :  a) presentation of the experiences by countries and international organizations in the preparation of national IP strategies  b) an exchange of views on the different approaches and methodologies followed in the preparation of these  IP strategies.

The meeting will include Geneva IP experts, delegates and representatives of international organizations.

Please click on information note for further details.

This joint meeting is part of a series of meetings each of our institutions have been pursuing to stimulate discussion in developing countries on global economic governance and trade, to provide an opportunity for leading scholars and policymakers in those countries to frame their interests and concerns, and to shape an evolving agenda. Topics that have been covered include reform of dispute settlement; the links between climate change governance and trade governance; the relationship between multilateralism and regionalism; governing aid for trade; the institutional reform of the WTO; the future of sustainable development issues in the WTO system; the impact of developing country coalitions on trade governance; and the role, expectations and responsibilities of emerging powers in the global trading system.

In the wake of the July collapse of the WTO Round, concerns about the governance of the world trading system have once again re-emerged as topics for urgent attention. Recent changes in the European Union’s trade leadership and the pending Presidential election in the United States prompt questions about how these will impact the political dynamics of global trade negotiations and governance. Further, the ongoing global financial crisis and negotiations on climate change present a range of questions about the linkages to the governance of the global trading regime. As debates on important governance questions, it is important that the voices of developing countries are heard.

To take up these issues, the Rio meeting will bring together 25 participants, including leading scholars, experts, and policy-makers. The number of participants will be strictly limited in order to encourage a high-quality, focused discussion. Around 15 participants will be from outside the host country.
 
Venue:

The Latin-American Research-Policy Dialogue On Global Economic Governance & Trade will take place at the CEBRI’s Headquarters in Rio de Janiero, Brazil on 24th November 2008.

Participation is by invitation only. For more information about this dialogue, please contact Ms. Adriana Verdier: averdier@ictsd.ch

· Addressing important and persistent knowledge gaps relevant to domestic regulation and market access discussions within the GATS negotiations.
· Assessing the positive and negative impacts of developing potential WTO disciplines on domestic regulation particularly in environmental services.

As a contribution to addressing the implications for WTO Members that intend to make concrete commitments in GATS negotiations particularly in the area of environmental services, ICTSD will present the findings from a paper on the regulatory principles in environmental services prepared by Dr. Massimo Geloso Grosso. The paper seeks to contribute knowledge and stimulate further dialogue on the part of policymakers and trade negotiators by examining the principles of regulatory and institutional practice in the environmental services sector, both infrastructure and non-infrastructure categories, and the main issues relating to the regulation of these services within the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS). The paper makes clear that GATS can affect governments’ regulatory behaviour, particularly when specific commitments are made. It also argues that given that the GATS allows WTO Members considerable flexibility to accommodate domestic policies, it is critical that negotiators and government officials carefully examine provisions of the GATS and to adjust specific commitments to fit domestic policy objectives. At the same time, specific commitments should only be made once appropriate regulatory systems have been implemented.

Participation is by invitation only. If you would like to receive an invitation please contact:

Mahesh Sugathan at: smahesh@ictsd.ch (Tel: 022-9178351)

Or

Sheila Sabune at: ssabune@ictsd.ch (Tel: 022-9178775)

Least Developed Countries (LDCs)[2], Small and Vulnerable Economies (SVEs)[3], and Small Islands Developing States (SIDS)[4] are already highly vulnerable to climate change physical impacts. In addition, they may also be hurt by some of the responses to the challenges of climate change taken by other countries and the international community.

These countries face significant levels of poverty and increased levels of climate-related threats such as droughts, floods, hurricanes, superimposed upon existing vulnerabilities. While these countries represent only a small portion of world trade, they are amongst the most open and trade-dependent in the world. Their key trade sectors such as agriculture, fisheries and tourism will be major impact-takers under climate change, yet many of these countries have already struggled, and achieved only a limited success in diversifying their economies. All these factors make LDCs, SVEs and SIDS particularly vulnerable to emerging climate change challenges.

Given the importance of trade in the economies of LDCs, SVEs and SIDS, trade policy will be an important element to strengthen these countries’ resilience to external shocks, including those arising from climate change physical impacts and policies. Although the interface between trade and climate change has entered the international policy arena, much is yet to be explored in order to deepen our knowledge on the links between these two issues and their future sustainable development implications.

Competitiveness policies[5] can play a major role in creating the supply-side capacity that these countries require in order to adapt to climate change, build resilience, and connect to the world economy on better terms. To strengthen competitiveness and build supply-side capacity in the context of climate change, these countries will most likely need to deal with both mitigation and adaptation aspects. Moreover, for these countries to respond to the urgent adverse effects of climate change, face the potential negative side-effects from the implementation of climate change mitigation activities, and meet the costs of adaptation, additional effective financial resources will be required.

The purpose of this meeting is to explore key interests and concerns of LDCs, SVEs, and SIDS in the context of climate change negotiations and identify crucial issues for a positive agenda for the trade and climate change regimes. Moreover the meeting seeks to explore effective tools to reduce the vulnerability and enhance the resilience of these countries from a competitiveness and adaptation prism. It will discuss the role of trade policy and the international trading system in this context.

The dialogue will bring together Geneva-based trade negotiators from LDCs, SVEs, and SIDS; climate change and development analysts and policy-makers; civil society and private sector representatives; experts; academics; and IGOs for two days to discuss these issues and identify the policy priorities and future research agendas to address key trade and climate change issues for these countries.

Moreover, this meeting has been envisioned as a follow-up to the discussions held on the “Stakeholder Dialogue on Climate Change and Trade: Key Issues for Developing Countries” co-organised in Mauritius on September 2-3, 2008 by ICTSD, the Commonwealth Secretariat, and the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development of Mauritius. Furthermore, it will provide a space to discuss the results from the Commonwealth Finance Ministers Meeting in St. Lucia held on the 6-8 October, 2008 and prepare for the upcoming XIV Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC, in Poznan, Poland, in December 2008.

Seats are limited. We would be very grateful if you could confirm your participation with your name, title/organization, full contact information, by the 15th November 2008, to Paolo Ghisu (Tel.: +41 22 917 8815, E-mail: pghisu@ictsd.ch).

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[1] This dialogue is undertaken under ICTSD’s Global Platform on Linkages between Trade Policies, Climate Change and Sustainable Energy. An initiative supported by DANIDA (Denmark); Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland; the Commonwealth Secretariat; and ICTSD’s institutional funders.

[2] Least Developed Countries (LDCs) are countries which according to the United Nations exhibit the lowest indicators of socioeconomic development, with the lowest Human Development Index ratings of all countries in the world. A country is classified as a Least Developed Country if it meets three criteria based on (1) low-income, (2) human resource weakness and (3) economic vulnerability. [source: www.un.org/special-rep/ohrlls/ldc/ldc%20criteria.htm]

[3] “Many small economies face specific challenges in their participation in world trade, for example they lack economies of scale, have limited natural and human resources and face high transport costs for their exports. Some studies show that a small size may limit an economy’s possibilities to diversify local production and that this, in turn, could make it more difficult for small economies to fully integrate into the multilateral trading system.
The Doha Declaration mandates, in its paragraph 35, the General Council to examine the problems faced by small and vulnerable economies and to make recommendations to improve the integration of such economies into the multilateral trading system. This is to be done, however, without creating a new or separate sub-category of WTO members. Discussions on the mandate have taken place since 2002 in the Committee on Trade and Development (CTD) meeting in dedicated session”. [source: http://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/minist_e/min05_e/brief_e/brief12_e.htm]

[4] Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are small island and low-lying coastal countries that share similar sustainable development challenges, including small population, lack of resources, remoteness, susceptibility to natural disasters, excessive dependence on international trade and vulnerability to global developments. In addition, they suffer from lack of economies of scale, high transportation and communication costs, and costly public administration and infrastructure. At present, fifty-one small island developing States and territories are included in the list used by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. Theses States and territories often work together through the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS). [source: http://www.sidsnet.org/]

[5] Competitiveness Policies for Sustainable Development should be understood as “Strengthening and enhancing the production structures, trade capacity and policy institutions of a country, with a view to improving its ability for positive integration into the global system securing long term stable economic growth, based on producing goods and services that meet the test of international competition under fair market conditions, while expanding the real incomes and real freedoms of their citizens and using their natural resources and the environment in a sustainable manner, preserving their values for the benefit of present and future generations” (Corrales, Sugathan, and Primack 2003).

On 17th November, the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD) and International Institute of Sustainable Development (IISD) will jointly host a team of senior policy advisors organized by Development Research Centre of the State Council (DRC, China) for a discussion with the Geneva community on the international and domestic political economic factors that influence China’s trade strategy, impacts of both regulatory and non regulatory standards, and possible steps that China can take to enhance its sustainability.

Registration is required.

Please send your name, title/organization, and full contact information by the 10th of November 2008 to Miss Fei CHEN at fchen@ictsd.ch or fax: 0041 22 917 80 93.

The ICTSD Geneva China Dialogue is an annual event that brings together representatives from international institutions, governments, business and civil society from China and around the world, to explore issues related to China, trade and sustainable development. It is part of the ICTSD China Initiative which aims to promote a better understanding of China’s role in global economic governance through dialogues and research.

This 2008 meeting will focus on China’s contribution to the economic architecture of a global agreement on climate change , in the process towards the 15th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in 2009 in Copenhagen. China is at the centre of a range of concerns related to the trade and climate change negotiations, particular with respect to the distribution of the economic costs and gains from climate change mitigation and adaptation.

While recognising the UNFCCC principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, China’s participation in global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is regarded by many as necessary, for global cooperative action on climate change to achieve the desired objectives. China is also at the centre of worries among policy-makers and industry in industrialised countries, about potential loss of competitiveness in their trade-exposed sectors, in the absence of “comparable action” in large developing countries such as China.

On the other hand, there is agreement in the Bali Action Plan, that in order for developing countries such as China to effectively contribute to global efforts on climate change, they will need support in particular on technology and financing. Moreover, achieving sustainable development objectives, including through trade-led growth, remains a legitimate objective of developing countries that is recognised and supported by WTO Members and Parties to the UNFCCC.

Key questions to be addressed in the Geneva China Dialogue include:
• What are the global trade and climate context in which China performs?

• What are the expectations of the international community for China’s responsibility in maintaining global economic and trade stability and fostering a multilateral agreement on climate change?

• How can China contribute to achieving successful outcomes under the Doha round of trade negotiations and the UNFCCC negotiations on climate change?

• What trade-related incentives and enabling conditions can contribute to enhancing the capacity of developing countries such as China to undertake national appropriate mitigation actions and pursue adaptation efforts?

• How can trade-related competitiveness concerns be addressed in an effective and fair manner, taking into account principles underlying both the trade and climate change regimes?

The dialogue will be a good platform for those who are interested on these issues, from international organizations, policymakers, negotiators, private sectors, business associations, civil society organizations, media, universities as well as research institutions.

Seats are limited. Please kindly register your participation with your name, title/organization, full contact information, by the 5th November 2008, to Ms. Guan at china@ictsd.ch or by telephone (+41)-22 917 8838 / fax (+41) 22 917 8093. You can also register at Website www.ictsd.org or mail or Ms Guan at ICTSD, 7 ch. de Balexert, 1219 Geneva, Switzerland.

Venue:

The Geneva China Dialogue 2008 will be held at the World Meteorological Organization, Address: 7bis,avenue de la Paix, CH-1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland
Tel.: + 41 (0) 22 730 81 11 Fax: + 41 (0) 22 730 81 81

More information about the conference venue including transportation and map, please visit: http://www.wmo.int/pages/visitors/index_en.html

World Meteorological Organisation

Room C1

*Avenue de la Paix 7 bis, 1202 Geneva 

The objective of the roundtable was to examine options and challenges in the use of cross-retaliation in TRIPS and GATS with a view to enable developing countries to make effective use of it under the WTO Dispute Settlement system.
 
Professor Frederick M. Abbott and Dr. Arthur E. Appleton presented the findings of two studies, commissioned by ICTSD, in which they respectively investigate the legal, technical and economic problems raised in the use of cross-retaliation under TRIPS and GATS, and present possible solutions to these problems.
 
Background
Cross-retaliation refers to the suspension of concessions in a sector of trade different than the sector in which the trade injury is suffered, including under a different WTO agreement. The incorporation of the “new area” agreements of TRIPS and GATS, as a consequence of the Uruguay Round negotiations, introduced a more complex era in dispute settlement and retaliation. For many developing countries, suspension of concessions in TRIPS or GATS may represent a valuable alternative option when it is not practical or effective for them to rely on standard retaliation. This is often the case due to the unbalanced nature of trading relations and the asymmetry in economic power.
 
However, this option has rarely been used by developing countries. Thus, the complex legal and technical problems, as well as the economic consequences, of resorting to cross-retaliation under the TRIPS Agreement and the GATS need to be examined comprehensively, in order for developing countries to make effective use of this option.
 
Professor Abbott has investigated cross-retaliation under the TRIPS Agreement. He presents the range of legal options available to governments considering the suspension of concessions under the TRIPS Agreement particularly in terms of identifying the level of suspension and avoiding legal conflicts.
Dr. Appleton has identified and outlined options on how to implement cross- retaliation within the GATS. In this connection, he has examined Modes and sectors of service supply where cross retaliation would be legally and technically feasible while creating an incentive for the violating member to comply without causing harm to the economy of the retaliating member.
 
After the presentations, comments were made by a number of distinguished experts and delegates. An open discussion with the audience followed. (Programme attached). The two studies by Professor Abbott and Dr.  Appleton were made available at the meeting.

The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD) are pleased to invite you to a Roundtable discussion on “The future of TRIPS issues in the Doha Round,” on Tuesday 21st of October 2008, 9:30-11:30, Palais des Nations, Room IX.

The objective of the Roundtable is to examine the state of play as well as possible options and scenarios for achieving progress in the Doha Development Round on TRIPS issues in the aftermath of the WTO Mini-ministerial meeting last July.

Speakers include:
Frederick Abbott, Edward Ball Eminent Scholar Professor of Law,
Florida State University College of Law

Gabrielle Marceau, Counsellor, Office of the Director General of the WTO

Sergio Balibrea, Counsellor, EC Delegation

Sunjay Sudhir, Counsellor, Permanent Mission of India

Maximiliano Santa Cruz, Counsellor, Permanent Mission of Chile
Please e-mail: Monica.Adjivon-Conteh@unctad.org or call +41 22 917 56 98; fax +41 22 917 01 97.

Several trade-related policies and instruments are likely to arise in the process of negotiating the architecture of the post-2012 regime and its implementation. These range from incentive-based instruments for a sustainable energy transition; the development, diffusion and transfer of clean technologies; the creation of markets for low carbon goods and technologies, to the use of border measures to address problems of carbon leakage and competitiveness.

As such, governing the use of trade-related tools and instruments in addressing climate change is poised to be a major challenge facing actors and stakeholders in the multilateral trading system in the years and decades to come. While some see trade policy as part of the solution, others are concerned about potential obstacles that trade rules may pose in the search for solutions to global warming, leading to calls, in some corners, for a fundamental reform of the international trade regime so that it is aligned with climate action objectives.

Panelists will address the following questions:

1. How will the multilateral trading system contribute to responses to climate change in an effective manner while maintaining the integrity of the system and the core principles underlying its functioning (e.g. non-discrimination, national treatment, and open trade)?

2. How will the system deal with the emerging, but rapidly developing trend of integrating a “carbon footprint” in virtually all aspects of economic activity, from production to consumption? How should long-term implications of bunker fuel costs be addressed?

3. What new forms of systemic interaction may be warranted with other policy processes, both public and private, that impact on international trade?

4. How will the multilateral trading system strengthen its arbitration function in a context of potentially growing disputes arising from the use of trade-related tools to achieve climate change objectives?

Ways forward for the multilateral trading system

World Food Crisis: Are Trade Rules a Problem or a Way Forward?
 
Moderator: Mr. Christian Häberli - World Trade Institute
 
Speakers:

Ms. Carmel Cahill -Trade and Agriculture Directorate, OECD

Mr. Ricardo Meléndez-Ortiz - Executive Director, ICTSD
Amb. Mario Matus, Permanent Mission of Chile
Amb. Teehankee, Permanent Mission of the Philippines
Amb. Manzoor Ahmad, Director, FAO Liaison Office, Geneva