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A Presentation on CUTS Centre for International Trade, Economics & Environment (CUTS CITEE)

A Presentation on CUTS Centre for International Trade, Economics & Environment (CUTS CITEE). January 2008. 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

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A Presentation on CUTS Centre for International Trade, Economics & Environment (CUTS CITEE)

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  1. A Presentation onCUTS Centre for International Trade, Economics & Environment (CUTS CITEE) January 2008

  2. 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 2

  3. 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 regularly and 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 3

  4. 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 4

  5. 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’ 5

  6. 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 6

  7. 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-based International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development • Advisory Committee on International Trade, Department of Commerce, Government of India 7

  8. 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 • 2007: Mainstreaming Development in the WTO 8

  9. 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 9

  10. 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 10

  11. An Overview of CUTS CITEE Resources • Headquartered in Jaipur, India and resource centres in India and abroad • 12 Fellows • 20 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 11

  12. 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 12

  13. 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 13

  14. 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) 14

  15. 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 • Mainstreaming International Trade into National Development Strategy (MINTDEV): A Pilot project in Bangladesh and India – supported by Royal Norwegian Embassy, New Delhi 15

  16. Recently Concluded and/or Ongoing Projects Developmental Issues • 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) 16

  17. Methodology of Work Three Pillars Advocacy Research Networking 17

  18. 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 18

  19. 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 19

  20. 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 20

  21. 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 • Mentorship of African Countries on SPS Issues 21

  22. Future Plans Regional Economic Cooperation • Sustainability Impact Assessment of the EU-India FTA • Political Economy of South Asian Free Trade Agreement • Operationalisation of South-South Trade Cooperation • Preferential Trade Agreements and India – A Political Economy Approach 22

  23. Future Plans Developmental Issues • Gender Dimensions of Trade Liberalisation in India • Improving Trade and Regulatory Governance in Africa and Asia • Operationalisation of Aid for Trade – Poverty Impact of Aid Effectiveness 23

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