a presentation on cuts centre for international trade, economics & environment (cuts citee)...
TRANSCRIPT
A Presentation onCUTS Centre for International Trade, Economics & Environment (CUTS CITEE)
January 2007
Coverage
A Brief History of CUTS An Overview of CUTS A Brief History of CUTS CITEE An Overview of CUTS CITEE Recently Concluded and/or Ongoing Projects Methodology of Work Modalities of Work Indicators of Some Achievements Future Plans
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A Brief History of CUTS
In 1983, CUTS began its journey with a rural development communication initiative, a wall newspaper Gram Gadar (Village Revolution). It is published regularlyand reaches every nook and corner of Rajasthan, even remote villages where radio is the only medium of communication. It has been instrumental in providing a forum for the oppressed classes to get justice.
A non-profit, non-governmental organisation with its headquarters in Jaipur, India, two resource centres in Calcutta and Delhi in India and four resource centres outside India: Nairobi, Kenya; Lusaka, Zambia; Hanoi, Viet Nam; London, UK
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An Overview of CUTS
CUTS Centre for Competition, Investment & Economic Regulation: To be a Centre of excellence on regulatory issues
CUTS Centre for Consumer Action, Research & Training: To
enable people, in particular women, to achieve their rights to basic needs and sustainable development through a strong consumer movement
CUTS Centre for Human Development: To be an innovative Centre for strategic interventions to raise the living standards of people
CUTS Safety Watch: To achieve for the citizens the right to be protected against unsafe goods, services and environment
CUTS Institute for Regulation & Competition: Enhancing Knowledge, Strengthening Capacity
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An Overview of CUTS
Credo
Maintaining transparency and accountability Marrying the cold of research with the hot of advocacy by extensive
networking Emphasising on outcomes and not just outputs Fostering partnership for development: actively pursuing research and
advocacy activities in more than 20 countries, particularly in Africa and Asia
Linking grassroots with the policy-makers and vice-versa Adopting a middle path while advocating for ‘liberalisation with safety
nets’
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A Brief History of CUTS CITEE
1993: Involvement with trade and regulatory issues since early 1990s when the Uruguay Round was at its peak – published a booklet titled “All About GATT – a consumers’ perspective”
1994: Compelling reason – no consumer organisation from the South was engaged in the UR debate – Consumer International’s Global Policy and Campaigns Committee on Economic Issues, with CUTS as its Co-Convenor
1995: Launched a civil society network: South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment – a demand-driven initiative
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A Brief History of CUTS CITEE
The Early Years
Immediate objectives since its establishment in 1996 were to: • Comprehend the issues • Strengthen the capacity of CSOs and other stakeholders• Networking with Southern and Northern governments and CSOs• Present a credible Southern civil society voice
One of the five founding members of the Geneva-basedInternational Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development
Advisory Committee on International Trade, Department of Commerce,Government of India
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A Brief History of CUTS CITEE
Some Significant Past Activities
1997: An Agenda for India at the WTO 1998: Multilateralisation of Sovereignty 1999: Fostering Equity and Accountability in the Trading System 2000: South Asian Study on Liberalisation and Poverty 2001: South Asian Civil Society Network on International Trade Issues 2002: EU-India Network on Trade and Development 2003: Linkages between Trade and Non-trade Issues 2004: International Working Group on the Doha Agenda on Singapore
Issues 2005: Grassroots Reachout and Networking in India on Trade and
Economics (GRANITE) 2006: Strategic Review of WTO-Provided TRTA
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An Overview of CUTS CITEE
CUTS’ Vision
Consumer sovereignty in the framework of social justice and equality, within and across borders
CUTS CITEE’s Mission
Pursuing economic equity and social justice
within and across borders by persuading
governments and empowering people
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An Overview of CUTS CITEE
Current Programme Areas
WTO Issues
• Closely keeping track of the Doha round and beyond
• Capacity building of grassroots CSOs
• Advocacy with trade negotiators and policy-makers
Regional Economic Cooperation
• South-South economic cooperation
• South-North economic cooperation
Developmental Issues
• Trade liberalisation and poverty reduction
• Linkages between trade and non-trade issues
• Role of institutions in pro-poor growth
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An Overview of CUTS CITEE
Resources
Headquartered in Jaipur, India and resource centres in India and abroad 12 Fellows 15 professional staff In-house support staff for editing, layouting, documentation, etc A 15-member International Advisory Board More than 50 networking partners in more than 20 countries in Africa and
Asia A well-maintained library cum documentation centre with more than 6,000
books and subscription of about 50 journals and e-newsletters in a month
Finances
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Year 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
Amount (US$mn) 0.78 0.66 1.10 1.55
Recently Concluded and/or Ongoing Projects
WTO Issues
WTO Doha Round and South Asia: Linking Civil Society with Trade Negotiations, Phase 2 – supported by Oxfam Novib, The Netherlands
Identification of hurdles faced by independent Indian Health Service Personnel in selected countries under GATS Mode IV – commissioned by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India (through World Health Organisation, India Office)
Strategic Review of WTO Provided Trade-Related Technical Assistance (WTO TRTA) – commissioned by WTO Secretariat
Devising A Comprehensive IBSA Strategy for WTO Agriculture Negotiations – supported by AusAID, Australia
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Recently Concluded and/or Ongoing Projects
Regional Economic Cooperation
Trade Facilitation Needs Assessment in South Asia – commissioned by UNDP’s Regional Centre in Colombo, Sri Lanka
South-South Economic Cooperation: Exploring the Relationship between India and the Greater Mekong Sub-region – supported by Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, Switzerland
South-South Economic Cooperation: Exploring the IBSA Initiative – supported by Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, Switzerland
Regional Economic Cooperation in South Asia – supported by India Office of Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, Germany
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Recently Concluded and/or Ongoing Projects
Regional Economic Cooperation
EU-India FTA: Feasibility and Scope of A Deep Integration – commissioned by Directorate General of Trade, European Commission (through University of Sussex, UK)
Capacity Building for the Fast Tracking of the East African Common Market – supported by Kenya Office of DFID, UK and Canadian International Development Agency’s NEPAD Outreach Fund
Operationalising South-South Trade between India and Selected LDCs in Eastern and Southern Africa – supported by Regional Trade Facilitation Programme, Pretoria (an initiative of DFID, South Africa and others)
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Recently Concluded and/or Ongoing Projects
Developmental Issues
Linkages between Trade, Development and Poverty Reduction – supported by Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The Netherlands and Department for International Development, UK
Grassroots Reachout and Networking in India on Trade and Economics – supported by Royal Norwegian Embassy, New Delhi and Oxfam Novib, The Netherlands
Documenting Skills and Tools for Advocacy to Generate Economic Literacy in India, particularly at the Grassroots – Oxfam Novib, The Netherlands (through the KIC Initiative of Oxfam International)
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Recently Concluded and/or Ongoing Projects
Developmental Issues
Mainstreaming International Trade into National Development Strategy (MINTDEV): A Pilot project in Bangladesh and India – supported by Royal Norwegian Embassy, New Delhi
Improving Institutions for Pro-Poor Growth – supported by Department for International Development, UK (through Institute of Development Policy and Management, Manchester University, UK)
Enabling Developing Countries to Seize Ecolabel Opportunities – supported by European Commission (through UNEP)
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Methodology of Work
Three Pillars
Research Advocacy Networking
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Modalities of Work
Main Features of Research
Emphasising on fieldwork-based research involving stakeholders Quantitative and qualitative research Political and socio-economic analysis In-house, network-based and outsourced research
Main Features of Advocacy
Sensitisation of CSOs Advocacy with other stakeholders – business chambers, farmers’
organisations, trade unions, etc Advocacy with policy-makers – trade negotiators, trade policy-makers,
parliamentarians, sub-national governments, etc Partnerships at different levels
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Modalities of Work
Main Features of Networking
Ranging from grassroots CSOs to international NGOs to policy-makers and other stakeholders at national and international levels
Dynamic information dissemination and outreach Organising multi-stakeholder events In partnership with Brussels-based EIAS and Sussex University formed EU-
India Network on Trade and Development
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Indicators of Some Achievements
Working closely with the governments of South Asia, South East Asia and Eastern and Southern Africa
Advisory Committee on International Trade, Department of Commerce, Government of India (3 terms)
Indian official delegation to Hong Kong Ministerial Conference of the WTO Members
Served at the WTO D-G’s Informal NGO Advisory Body Accredited to UNCTAD, UNESCAP, UNDP, UNEP, etc
Some examples of outcomes Indian Ecomark Scheme Amendments of the Indian Patent Act Inter-State Trade Council Pro-development and pro-poor National Foreign Trade Policy of India Globalisation and India: Myths and Realities
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Future Plans
WTO Issues
WTO Doha Round and Delivering on Development: Unpacking Development in the WTO
Domestic Preparedness in Developing and Least Developed Countries for Implementing the WTO’s Doha Round’s Agreements
Reforming the WTO’s DSB for Enhancing the Participation of Developing and LDCs
WTO in A Coalition Era: Institutional Reforms of the Multilateral Trading System
Mentorship of African Countries on SPS Issues
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Future Plans
Regional Economic Cooperation
Sustainability Impact Assessment of the Indo-ASEAN FTA
Sustainability Impact Assessment of a Possible EU-India FTA
Sustainability Impact Assessment of the East African Common Market
Political Economy of South Asian Free Trade Agreement
Exploring the Formation of Asian Economic Community
Operationalisation of South-South Trade Cooperation
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Future Plans
Developmental Issues
Gender Dimensions of Trade Liberalisation in India
GRANITE, Phase 2
Linkages between Dumping and Livelihood Concerns in India
Capacity Building of CSOs in Eastern and Southern Africa and in the GMS Region of South East Asia for Advocating Pro-Development Trade Policy
Political Economy of Trade Liberalisation in Developing and Least Developed Countries – Balancing Producer and Consumer Interests
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Future Plans
Developmental Issues
Institutional Analyses of Trade Policy-making in Developing and Least Developed Countries
Operationalisation of Aid for Trade – Aid Effectiveness
Boosting the Indian Ecomark Scheme: The Way Forward
Services Liberalisation and Domestic Regulation in Developing and Least Developed Countries
International Trade as a Tool for Fostering Sustainable Consumption and Production for Poverty Reduction
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