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How to Encode Non-tariff Measures in Regional Trade Agreements?
Nov 2020Non-tariff measures (NTMs) such as sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures and technical barriers to trade (TBT) are used as policy instruments to protect health safety and the environment. However they also increase production and trade costs. An important component of such costs is the high divergence of regulations across countries. Producers have to comply with thousands of different regulations in their export markets. Policy makers increasingly aim to address this through provisions on regulatory cooperation such as mutual recognition or harmonization in regional trade agreements (RTA). This paper develops a systematic approach that allows to decode RTA provisions on NTMs according to the International Classification of NTMs so that (a) many details such as whether individual provisions are enabling or restricting policy space if provisions relate to regulations or procedural aspects and levels of enforceability can be analysed including across RTAs (b) provisions can be better compared to relevant WTO agreements and (c) the provisions can be compared to national regulations. We apply the methodology to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) agreement and show that provisions in the area of conformity assessment dominate the SPS Chapter while market authorization and labelling related provisions prevail in the TBT Chapter. The substantial degree of enforceability in both SPS and TBT chapters is likely to result in national legislative and institutional amendments.
Guidelines to Collect Data on Official Non-tariff Measures, 2019 Version
Nov 2020During the last few decades multilateral and regional trade negotiations and unilateral liberalization have substantially reduced tariff rates. Non-tariff measures (NTMs) however represent a growing challenge for exporters and policy makers. The ability to gain and to benefit from market access depends increasingly on compliance with trade regulatory measures such as sanitary requirements and goods standards. UNCTAD has been actively involved in research and activities on issues related to NTMs. In 1994 UNCTAD began to collect and classify NTMs. While the UNCTAD Trade Analysis and Information System (TRAINS) database remains the most comprehensive database on NTMs it has required substantial improvements to keep up with the increasing complexity of and need for NTM data. To develop a strategy to reduce the transparency gap in 2006 UNCTAD established the Group of Eminent Persons on Non-tariff Barriers composed of leading economists from international organizations. A Multi-agency Support Team provided substantial support. As a result the Transparency in Trade initiative (TNT) was launched by UNCTAD the African Development Bank the International Trade Centre and the World Bank. UNCTAD leads the international effort on official NTM data collection.
United Nations Disarmament Yearbook 2019: Part II
Nov 2020This publication summarizes developments and trends in 2019 on key issues of multilateral consideration at the international and regional levels. It reviews the activity of the General Assembly the Conference on Disarmament and the Disarmament Commission. It contains a timeline that highlights events in multilateral disarmament in 2019. Comprises a foreword written by the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs.
Biological and chemical weapons
Nov 2020High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu delivering a statement at the twenty-fourth session of the Conference of States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention. The Conference was held at the World Forum The Hague Netherlands from 25 to 29 November 2019.
Disarmament resolutions and decisions listed by chapter
Nov 2020A view of the gavel that was handed over from María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés President of the seventy-third session of the General Assembly to Tijjani Muhammad-Bande President of the seventy-fourth session of the General Assembly after the closing plenary meeting of the seventy-third session of the General Assembly 16 September 2019.
Conventional weapons
Nov 2020Explosive remnants of war found close to the United Nations Mission in South Sudan compound in Juba for destruction by the United Nations Mine Action Service 20 March 2019.
Disarmament machinery
Nov 2020Tatiana Valovaya (left) Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva and Secretary-General of the Conference on Disarmament speaks with Izumi Nakamitsu High Representative for Disarmament Affairs during the third part of the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva 26 August 2019.
Emerging, cross-cutting and other issues
Nov 2020A view of the panellists at the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research 2019 Innovations Dialogue themed “Digital Technologies and International Security” which was held in Geneva on 19 August.
Regional disarmament
Nov 2020At the Firearms and Ammunition Evidence Management Course at La Paz El Salvador from 2 to 4 December 2019 where 25 participants received theoretical and practical training in firearm and ammunition identification and guidelines. The course also covered good practices for ensuring the competent management of crime scenes evidence processing and analysis as well as the correct utilization of the chain-of-custody system among other useful tools to strengthen the investigation process and intelligence related to cases involving firearms and ammunition.
Information and outreach
Nov 2020Participants of the event “Youth Champions for Securing our Common Future” organized by the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs and the non-governmental organization Peace Boat. The event held in New York on 11 October 2019 was part of the Youth4Disarmament initiative and featured keynote speakers educational panel discussions workshops and musical performances. The participating “Youth Champions” had the opportunity to engage with United Nations officials diplomats and civil society representatives working towards disarmament worldwide.
Foreword
Nov 2020Welcome to Part II of the 2019 United Nations Disarmament Yearbook. Prepared each year at the request of the General Assembly the Yearbook offers a comprehensive and authoritative guide to recent developments and trends in the field of multilateral disarmament non-proliferation and arms control.
Status of multilateral arms regulation and disarmament agreements
Nov 2020Secretary-General António Guterres is handed the joint ministerial declaration from the Stockholm Ministerial Meeting on Nuclear Disarmament and the Non-Proliferation Treaty Stockholm 26 September 2019.
Gender and disarmament
Nov 2020Mine clearance in Mozambique by the Norwegian People’s Aid 6 November 2019.
Acknowledgements
Nov 2020Volume 44 (Part II) of the United Nations Disarmament Yearbook like editions before it was a collaborative endeavour to which the staff of the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs devoted considerable time and effort. It was prepared under the overall direction of the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu and the Director of the Office Thomas Markram.
The National Trade Facilitation Roadmap for Exports Enhancement and Diversification of the Republic of Tajikistan 2019 – 2024
Nov 2020This National Trade Facilitation Roadmap for Exports Enhancement and Diversification provides the framework for a national trade facilitation reform programme over a five-year period (2019-2024) and includes a strategic vision supported by goals and activities and performance indicators to measure progress against set targets. It is the result of a consultative effort of the National Coordination Committee on Trade Facilitation (CCTF) under the UNECE guidance and in collaboration with key international partners including the ITC and UNCTAD. This document has been developed in the context of the project on “Removing regulatory and procedural barriers to trade in the Republic of Tajikistan” at the request of the Government.
Aperçu
Oct 2020Malgré ses difficultés pour faire face aux défis qui ont mis à l’épreuve les capacités de l’État et de la population à sauvegarder l’unité nationale et la sécurité le Mali n’est pas resté à l’écart des transformations induites par les technologies de l’information et de la communication (TIC). Son gouvernement a lancé des initiatives dans les domaines de l’administration électronique et des infrastructures des TIC afin de tirer profit des opportunités fournies par le développement de ces dernières notamment à travers l’adoption du référentiel Mali Numérique 2020 une stratégie nationale pour le développement de l’économie numérique
Conclusions dans les sept domaines thématiques de l’initiative etrade for all
Oct 2020Le Mali a développé le référentiel Mali Numérique 2020. Cependant force est de constater qu’en l’absence de structures formelles de coordination sectorielle la mise en oeuvre de toute initiative de promotion de l’économie numérique et en particulier du commerce électronique demeure faible. Quelques applications ont été développées en support de la dématérialisation des procédures administratives. Le secteur du commerce électronique reste dans l’ensemble à un stade embryonnaire. Le dialogue public-privé est insuffisamment structuré et n’inclut pas le commerce électronique. La constitution d’un cadre de concertation formalisé public-privé devient donc urgente. Enfin la pénurie de données disponibles sur les tendances du secteur du commerce électronique au Mali ne contribue pas à alimenter la formulation et la mise en oeuvre des politiques nécessaires.
Conclusion
Oct 2020L’écosystème du commerce électronique au Mali est encore à l’état embryonnaire. Malgré les efforts des secteurs public et privé pour lui donner une véritable impulsion les engagements ne sont pas constants ni assez soutenus dans le temps. Cela s’explique en partie par les défis sécuritaires et l’instabilité politique qui ralentissent la mise en place des conditions nécessaires pour mieux encadrer les initiatives et développer le commerce électronique dans différents secteurs de l’économie (agriculture artisanat éducation services financiers). Pour y parvenir il faudra veiller à accélérer la mise en oeuvre des projets et réformes inscrits dans le référentiel Mali Numérique 2020 bâtir un cadre de pilotage et de coordination et élaborer une stratégie du secteur du commerce électronique avec des engagements clairs de mise en oeuvre par toutes les parties prenantes. D’une part un renforcement des capacités se révèle nécessaire au sein des administrations publiques pour qu’elles soient mieux outillées et capables d’intégrer le commerce électronique dans leur appui au secteur privé. D’autre part le secteur privé aura beaucoup à gagner d’une meilleure organisation autour d’un regroupement des acteurs de la filière et d’une mutualisation des services indispensables à la croissance des entreprises.