Notizie

WTO Secretariat publishes the first trade policy review of Liberia

Venerdì 02 Giugno 2023 07:55

There are no translations available.

This is the first review since Liberia accessed to the World Trade Organization (WTO), on 14 July 2016. All the WTO members have their trade policy reviewed by the Organization, the frequency of which varies depending on a country’s share of world trade in goods and services. Reviews highlight the extent to each WTO member implements basic WTO principles concerning: (i) transparency of trade policies; (ii) non-discrimination in treatment of trading partners; (iii) degree of stability and predictability of trade policies; (iv) pattern of protection and extent to which tariffs only are used as measures of protection in trade in goods; (iv) restrictions used in trade in services; (v) record of adherence to the multilateral trading system, and participation in dispute settlement. Trade Policy Reviews are based on two documents: a report prepared independently by the WTO Secretariat and a policy statement by the Member under review. The report by the secretariat typically covers: (i) the economic environment, such as trade patterns and evolution of foreign investment; (ii) the institutional framework, including domestic policies and participation in trade agreements; (iii) trade policies and practices by measure (e.g. customs procedures, licensing, anti-dumping, Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS), subsidies, etc.); and (iv) trade policies and practices by sector, such as agriculture, forestry, fisheries, manufacturing, services etc.

Trade facilitation in the context of regional integration in Africa

Mercoledì 24 Maggio 2023 20:43

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In the end of August 2022, the Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance hosted a virtual webinar on Trade Facilitation, Climate Finance, and the Strengthening of Africa’s Development Finance Institutions as part of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and Transformative Industrialisation Webinar Series. A summary report of the event, just published, summarises the outcomes of the first session.

Customs Reforms in Developing Countries, new approaches needed

Venerdì 12 Maggio 2023 06:18

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A note from the World Bank clarifies some of the main challenges that customs reforms face in developing countries, and particularly in low-income countries (LICs), with the possible approaches that can be followed in order to increase their efficiency. Customs reforms, the report notes, are complex because they have to find the right balance between three fundamental functions that customs administrations perform, so that none of them outweighs the others. These functions are: facilitating trade, collecting revenue, and ensuring the security of imports at the border.

New ‘soft enforcement mechanism’ aims at pushing AfCFTA States Parties to fulfill their implementation commitments

Giovedì 11 Maggio 2023 05:50

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On 30^th October 2022, the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), a Specialized Agency of the African Union (AU), in collaboration with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat held a three (3)-day continental meeting in Cape Town, South Africa, to discuss the development of an AfCFTA Trade Policy Review Mechanism (AfTPRM) to monitor the respect by African States of their commitments under the AfCFTA. Since then, the process has been moving forward, and recently, on 10 May 2023, a consultative meeting was held in Abuja, Nigeria, to advance work for the establishment of the AfTPRM.

Ocean-based goods, an untapped potential of Africa

Mercoledì 10 Maggio 2023 04:59

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A new report prepared by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) with the contribution of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) analyses the opportunities offered by the ocean economy as a driver of international economic growth. According to the report, the value of the ocean economy, globally, ranges between $3 trillion to $6 trillion per year, sustaining at least 150 million direct jobs across a wide range of sectors, including (but not limited to) fishing, aquaculture, shipping, tourism, offshore wind energy, oil and gas, mining and marine biotechnology.