INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND DEVELOPMENT: LESSONS FROM RECENT ECONOMIC RESEARCH. World Bank and Oxford University Press, 2005. This paper asserts that international policies toward the protection of intellectual property rights (IPRs) have seen profound changes in the past two decades. The authors contend that emerging trends and technologies — such as bio-informatics (mapping of the human genome), biotechnology (creation of designer plants), and the widespread availability of digital content and media via the Internet — have raised new questions about intellectual property law. How will developing countries fare in this globalised and challenging intellectual property environment? Available online at http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTRANETTRADE/Resources/Pubs/IPRs-book.pdf.
WHERE ARE WE IN THE DOHA ROUND? By Mark Halle, International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), August 2005. This paper provides an overview of the Doha Round process, noting that it revolves around the liberalisation of agriculture as the ‘last frontier for trade liberalisation’ and the arena where most gains stand to be made. However, it cautions that the likely beneficiary of these changes is a matter of conjecture. The paper concludes that it is likely that the EU, the US, the European Free Trade Association members, Japan, Korea and others will not yield in their protectionist attitudes. This would be a disaster for developing countries, which would find themselves locked into a massively unfair system of commodity exchange, as well as for developed countries that will need to make reforms if they are to compete with China and India. Finally, the author asserts that genuine concessions by theUS or the EU at the Hong Kong Ministerial Meeting in December 2005, or an agreement between them to put a new package on the table, could provide a stimulus to the negotiations. Available online at http://www.iisd.org/pdf/2005/trade_doha_status.pdf.
REGIONAL TRADE AGREEMENTS, THE WORLD TRADE SYSTEM AND DEVELOPMENT. By Richard Newfarmer. World Bank Trade Note, 13 September 2005. The number of regional trade agreements (RTAs) has grown exponentially over the last two decade, significantly altering the world trade landscape. Today, there are more than 200 agreements in force with nearly one-third of all trade taking place between countries that have some form of reciprocal RTA. This paper addresses two questions: What are the characteristics of RTAs that strongly promote — or hinder — development for member countries? Does the proliferation of RTAs pose risks to the multilateral trading system, and how can those risks be managed? Available online at http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTRANETTRADE/Resources/239054-1126812419270/TradeNote24_Newfarmer.pdf.
SAVING WATER THROUGH GLOBAL TRADE. By A.K. Chapagain, A.Y. Hoekstra and H.H.G. Savenije. UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education, September 2005. Many nations save domestic water resources by importing water-intensive products and exporting commodities that are less water intensive. National water saving through the import of a product can imply saving water at a global level if the flow is from sites with high to sites with low water productivity. The assessment presented in this paper shows that such "virtual water flows" that take place through international trade of crop and livestock products reduce worldwide water use in agriculture by 6 per cent. To access this paper visit http://www.waterfootprint.org/Reports/Report17.pdf.
SPECIAL AND DIFFERENTIAL TREATMENT OF DEVELOPING COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION. By Peter Kleen and Sheila Page. Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Sweden, 2005. This study analyses the development of the provisions for special and differential treatment (S&D) within the WTO and the actual and potential developmental effects of existing provisions. It puts forth a number of suggestions for how to improve the current system. Some findings from the study include: S&D should increase the benefits to developing countries from trade and the weight given to their interests, it should not replace international or national development strategies, and there is a difficult balance between biasing the system to help developing countries and promoting developed countries’ own view of what type of development is best. Available online at http://www.egdi.gov.se/pdf/study/40725_Gl%20Dev%20Stud%202.pdf.