ISSUE No. 24                                                                  December 3, 2004

A monthly electronic news bulletin from CUTS International, India, to our network of friends and professionals interested about the new happenings and proceedings of CUTS in various spheres. If you wish to unsubscribe, please scroll down to the bottom of this page for more information.

Forthcoming Events

 

Events

 

Publications

 

Articles

 

TRAI Fund to be used for Consumer Advocacy too: CUTS

The issue of secured and independent funding for Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (TRAI) is something that augurs well for better governance in India, and needs to be emulated throughout the government, says CUTS in response to the TRAI’s advocacy with the Government.

CUTS has asserted that the consumer movement needs to be resourced and strengthened to ensure the sustainable success of the regulatory framework in India, telecom specifically and other sectors generally.

Most regulatory laws have provisions for a fund to promote the purpose and objects of the law, but this has never been used to support consumer advocacy activities. The legal provision in TRAI Act can be put into effect if the government adopts a….

More on: http://www.cuts-international.org/news-cuts1.htm#traifund

Escape from unholy brotherhood

Business Line, November 15, 2004

One has to view the Naresh Chandra Committee's report on reforming the aviation sector in India through the lens of competition.


Among many, two crucial points, which emerge, are first, how to regulate the natural monopolies, which all airports are, through an independent regulator. And second the issue of allowing private airlines to fly on overseas routes in competition with other airlines.


If Indian airports are privatised or even corporatised, they can become strong competitors to other more attractive airports….

 

More on: http://www.cuts-international.org/articles2004.htm#escape

 


 

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

International Conference on “Moving the Competition Policy Agenda in India”
The Claridges, New Delhi, India, January 31 to February 1, 2005

CUTS Centre for Competition, Investment & Economic Regulation (C-CIER), Jaipur, India is organising a two-day international conference “Moving the Competition Policy Agenda in India” at The Claridges, New Delhi, India from January 31 to February 1, 2005. CUTS has undertaken a research project to develop a Functional Competition Policy for India. The project report comprises of 20+ chapters covering systemic as well as sectoral issues and endeavours to assist the Government of India to come up with a Competition Policy that is ‘implementable’.

The conference is being organised to release the report and facilitate deliberations on its findings and recommendations. The meeting is structured in the form of a peer review of the Indian competition scenario and will draw out a framework to implement the Competition Policy Agenda in India.

More on: http://www.cuts-international.org/forthcoming-events.htm#intconference

The Final Meeting of the project “Sustainable Production in the South as a Tool for Enhanced Market Access in the North”
India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, India, January 24, 2005

The Final Meeting of the project “Sustainable Production in the South as a Tool for Enhanced Market Access in the North” will be organised on January 24, 2005 at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, India. The meeting will present the findings of the leather project that attempts to understand the utility of ecolabels/environment measures for increasing India’s leather footwear exports.

More on: http://www.cuts-international.org/forthcoming-events.htm#sustainable24jan

South Asian Regional Capacity Building Training Workshop on WTO
Islamabad, Pakistan, December 11-13, 2004

South Asia Watch on Trade Economics & Environment (SAWTEE), Nepal; CUTS Centre for International Trade, Economics & Environment (CUTS-CITEE), India; and Sustainable Development Policy Institute, Islamabad (SDPI), are jointly organising the South Asian Regional Capacity Building Training Workshop on WTO in Islamabad, Pakistan, from 11-13 December 2004. The workshop is being organised under the project ‘Progressive Regional Action and Co-operation on Trade’ (PROACT), undertaken by SAWTEE. It aims at developing capacities of the young professionals to comprehend WTO (World Trade Organisation) issues, its perspective and linkages with their work and the economy.

More on: http://www.cuts-international.org/forthcoming-events.htm#sawto

Linkages between Trade and Human Development
HCM RIPA, Jaipur, India, December 4, 2004

CUTS Centre for International Trade, Economics & Environment (CUTS-CITEE) in association with Centre for Trade & Investment (CTI), HCM RIPA, Jaipur and Commissionarate of College Education, Government of Rajasthan will organise the State Level Seminar: “Linkages between Trade and Human Development” at Harish Chandra Mathur Rajasthan State Institute for Public Administration (HCM RIPA), Jaipur on December 4, 2004.

The objective of the seminar is to deliberate on current developments in international trade from the perspectives of human development, and to look at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) agreements from the perspective of the Rajasthan economy. The expected outcome is the creation of a diverse network in Rajasthan, which will work on issues of trade and development, keeping in mind and articulating human development concerns of trade reforms. 

More on: http://www.cuts-international.org/forthcoming-events.htm#hcmripa

EVENTS

Symposium on the WTO’s July Package
Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland, November 3, 2004

CUTS Centre for Trade Economics and Environment (CUTS-CITEE) organised the Symposium on WTO’s July Package at Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland on November 3, 2004. The Symposium hosted a panel of discussions on aspects of the WTO’s July Package and two panel discussions on trade facilitation (TF) and transparency in government procurement.

In the trade facilitation (TF) session, the scope and definition of TF, technical assistance and capacity building in TF, specific GATT 1994 provisions and TF, dispute settlement issues, and TF country case studies were discussed. While in the transparency in government procurement (TGP) session, the primary questions raised were whether TGP should be a policy priority for developing countries and whether a government procurement agreement (GPA) will contribute substantially to development?

More on: http://www.cuts-international.org/Symposium-WTO-Report.htm

Outreach Meeting of the Project  “Sustainable  Production in the Leather Industry as a Tool for Enhanced Market Access” on Impact of Environmental Measures for Increasing Southern Exports to the North
 Geneva, Switzerland, November 2, 2004

CUTS Centre for International Trade Economics and Environment (CITEE) organised the outreach meeting of the project “Sustainable Production in the Leather Industry as a Tool for Enhanced Market Access, in Geneva, on November 2, 2004 with the objective of presenting the findings of the leather project. The project attempts to understand how environmental requirements, both voluntary and mandatory, can help in promoting exports. The lead researcher Ghayur Alam, presented the findings of the project, followed by discussions. The key issues raised were whether sustainable production (by adopting eco-labelling) will lead to increased costs? Will compliance of eco-labelling standards increase exports to the European market? What is the difference between the Indian and European eco-labels, and the possibilities of mutual recognition?

More on: http://www.cuts-international.org/documents/presentation.ppt

PUBLICATIONS

Newsletter

  • ReguLetter No.15

This issue focuses on global competition challenges and the role of the International Competition Network in this framework. It highlights competition and regulation in the distribution of TV channels and analyses the task of competition advocacy taken by the Indian Government for generating increased awareness on the Competition Commission of India, in the wake of the changing economy. It also throws light on the Norwegian Competition Law and the competition scenario in Bangladesh.

Briefing Paper

Movement of Natural Persons and Regional Trade Agreements

This paper studies the link between the Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs) and movement of natural persons (MNPs) across borders (skilled and unskilled) and shows whether the provisions mentioned in various agreements have actually been beneficial for developing countries with emphasis on India.

ARTICLES

Competitiveness Via Competition
 The Economic Times, November 23, 2004

Competitiveness means promoting a number of strong players churning out goods and services at the best quality and prices. Therefore, the country needs an effective competition law to ensure that the market functions, and both consumers and the economy gain, says Mehta of CUTS.

More on: http://www.cuts-international.org/articles2004.htm#comp2

Unified licensing regime proposals — The wall of TRAI for new entrants
Business Line, November 18, 2004

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is to finalise its recommendations on unified licensing regime (ULR) shortly. A closer look at TRAI's recommendations reveals that the main objective is to ensure a level field and a no-worse-off (in fact, better-off) situation for existing NLD (national long distance) and ILD (international long distance) operators, says Prabhat Dayal, Manish Agarwal and Bipin Batra.

More on: http://www.cuts-international.org/articles2004.htm#unified

Competition, regulation in TV channes' distribution
Business Line, November 6, 2004

TV channels are provided to all carriers and platforms to increase viewership for the purpose of earning maximum subscription fee as well as advertisement revenue. It is important that all distribution platforms are promoted so that they provide consumers with choice, says Pradeep S Mehta and Manish Agarwal of CUTS.

More on: http://www.cuts-international.org/articles2004.htm#tvchannels

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Consumer Unity & Trust Society (CUTS)
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Phone:  91.141.228 2821, Fax:  91.141.228 2485