Innovative and absorptive capacity effects of education in a small, open economy
Norsk handel med de fattigste – mellom profitt og utviklingspolitikk
From 2002, duty-free, quota-free market access (DFQF) in Norway was granted for the Least Developed Countries (LDCs). In 2008, Norway extended DFQF to another 14 low-income countries. The reform has so far not led to an aggregate increase in imports from the poorest countries, but selective import increases for flowers and some vegetables from Africa. Imports from other developing countries have increased considerably. Agricultural trade generally faces strict quality, logistics and health requirements that many of the poorest countries cannot fulfill, and trade may therefore be zero even if the tariff preference is huge. Private standards for corporate social responsibility and the environment also play an increasing role. Nevertheless, there are several success stories where poor countries fulfill the standards and the study identifies successes as well as failures. Half of Norway’s import from developing countries is routed indirectly via other countries, mainly in Europe, and the value of trade increases on average by 83% on the way from a developing country to Norway. This value mark-up is higher for indirect trade and the poorest countries, and in some trades the markup may be several hundred per cent. In the study, various explanations are discussed. High price mark-ups, driven by trade costs and profit-seeking, is part of the story. The LDC+14 countries comprise only 2-3% of economy and trade in the developing world and ¼ of the world’s poor. By improving market access for the lower middle income (LM) countries, more trade can be created with countries that have an income level at 1-5% of Norway’s and comprise more than half the world’s poor. A significant number of DFQF countries are already or will soon become LM countries. A reform where LM countries are granted significantly improved market access will allow a gradual transition and avoid a trade regime based on outdated criteria. The poorest countries have more fundamental development problems and the “second poorest” are better able to exploit new market opportunities in Norway. High import markups may indicate limited competition and contribute to explaining Norway’s high price level, especially for food products. For some food products, imports are modest due to restrictive trade policies, and this limits the number of competitors and thereby the extent of competition.
BRICS, Energy and the New World Order
While the BRICS share some characteristics, they differ in several respects. How far can cooperation between them go? Is their cooperation mainly symbolic, or can extensive coordination be achieved? The BRICS are large countries, but will they act individually or jointly? In this present report, the authors examine selected issues in order to find out whether the BRICS have the capacity to develop common policies and cooperation.
Capable Companies or changing markets? Explaining the export performance of firms in the defence industry
Belated Courtship? The Uneasy Partnership between Brazil and the EU
The EU accorded the status of “strategic partner” to Brazil in 2007. While the aim of this was to foster more effective cooperation with the Latin American giant, the record of the partnership is less than clear. While the strategic partnership was a clear acknowledgement of Brazil’s aspirations and status potential, it may have been sealed too late to have an impact on Brazil’s trajectory towards a more prominent global role and may mean too little for actually changing the course of EU–Brazil relations. For, viewed from Brasilia, the extent to which the special partnership has affected the relationship between the EU and Brazil remains an open question. Despite its new status as a strategic partner, Brazil’s foreign policy has been surfing on the waves of South–South cooperation schemes. So, while the EU remains a market for Brazilian exports which can-not be overlooked, Brazil’s search for new partners and China’s increased prominence in its trade balance have provided a new range of opportunities in foreign policy. As other states, including Norway, are now working out strategies to seal more formalized relationships with Brazil – and other emerging powers, for that matter – the strategic partnership between Brazil and the EU offers important lessons to take into account. While the strategic partnership was initially more valuable for Brazil, this did not last. Further-more, it was unclear what the new label entailed in practice, and how it was supposed to affect actual cooperation patterns.
Systems of Tax Evasion and Laundering (STEAL)
The project seeks to identify Global Wealth Chains that are the articulation of organized activities between individuals or international entities, developed countries, developing coun...