The aim of this graduation theses is characterize foreign business cases, which apper in activities of choice company. The fist part of this work is focused on problems and specific cases, which go with foreign business transactions. First I described signification of foreign trade and approaches to his implementation. The next chapters deal with exchange rates, exchange rate differences, functions of duty, dutiable modes, tax problems - especially area of value added tax and dissimilarities of international business transactions at closing sale of goods. The company, which I choose for analysis of foreign business activities, is cooperative society Ledenický nábytek. I localized on most significant business activities and specific areas, which this company solves during trading with foreign partners from the European Union and compare with standards procedures. If there is any unsuitable procedure or any obscurities, I propose better and more suitable way of resolution.

Pas de résumé / Doctorat en droit / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

Pas de résumé / Doctorat en droit / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

A major problem emanating from the trade/environment conflict is the use of trade measures, such as restrictions and sanctions, as tools for environmental protection. Proponents of free trade argue that the use of these measures is tantamount to abuse of environmental standards for protectionist ends. This is particularly so if the imposition of the standard amounts to a unilateral act which blocks the entry of a specified product into the market of another member state for reasons other than environmental protection. Environmentalists at the same time argue that free trade will lead to environmental degradation and therefore advocate for the use of trade-restrictive measures to safeguard against the destruction of the environment. The GATT has proved problematic when it comes to the resolution of trade/environment conflicts. The GATT aims at trade liberalisation yet most environmental policies are enforced through trade-restrictive devices like quotas and licences. Article XX of the GATT is anomalous: it does not explicitly mention the environment, yet member states rely on it as an environmental protection clause. This thesis discusses the various issues emanating from the trade/environmental debate. The history of Article XX is reviewed and the issues that arise in the adjudication of Articles XX (b) and (g) in a trade/environment context are analysed in light of the decisions by the GATTIWTO dispute settlement bodies. The role played by Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) in protecting the environment is discussed. However, the relationship between MEAs and the WTO is also scrutinised as these rule-making bodies often come into conflict: firstly, because they serve two differing interests - on the one hand, MEAs allow for the use of trade restrictive measures in environmental agreements and on the other, the WTO calls for unrestricted trade unless exceptional circumstances exist; and secondly, member states that are party to both the WTO and MEAs are often forced to subscribe to international trade rules that are incompatible with those in environmental agreements. The trade/environmental debate is important to both the developed and developing worlds. The developed world is in favour of environmental policies which protect the environment from degradation. On the other hand, the developing world is in desperate need of the benefits of trade liberalisation so as to cater for high unemployment rates and poor economic growth. The question thus arises as to whether, when environmental issues are promoted, developing countries will not suffer at the expense of developed nations which may engage in protectionist measures under the pretext of environmental conservation. The divide between developed and developing countries is illustrated in Chapter 5 through case studies on coal mining in the USA and South Africa. The conclusion reached is that total co-operation is essential between developed and developing states for success in safeguarding the environment from degradation. Accordingly, the trade/environmental debate cannot be isolated from the conflicting approaches in developed and developing countries. The conclusions in the final chapter seek to strike a balance between trade liberalisation and environmental protection. Recommendations are made on how the trade/environmental challenges could be dealt with and the regulation of trade restrictive devices to exclude, or at least limit, protectionism.

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) declared a Free Trade Area on 17 August 2008. The Free Trade Area is the ultimate objective of the Trade Protocol on trade cooperation in SADC, signed in 1996. The Protocol is supported and complemented by the ambitious Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP). The idea behind the SADC Trade Protocol was to counter the developmental challenges facing SADC member states and to improve the productive and trade capacity of SADC countries. The implementation of the SADC Free Trade Area has been guided by the WTO/GATT regulatory framework on regional trade agreements, particularly GATT Article XXIV, the Understanding on the Interpretation of GATT Article XXIV, as well as the Decision on Differential and More Favourable Treatment, Reciprocity and Fuller Participation of Developing Countries (Enabling Clause). This research seeks to analyse the SADC Trade Protocol's provisions and the implementation of such provisions. To facilitate an understanding of factors that affect the implementation of the SADC Trade Protocol, SADC's institutional and operational framework is discussed from a legal-historical perspective. The provisions of the Trade Protocol are analysed for compliance with WTO/GA TT rules as well as for applicability within the SADC context. The provisions of the WTO/GA TT regulatory framework on regional trade agreements are also analysed with a view to determining whether they are applicable in developing country situations such as SADC. The Free Trade Area is seen as the first step towards regional economic integration in the region and is to be followed by a Customs Union, a Common Market and then eventually an Economic Community with its own central bank and regional currency. It is envisaged that the region will proceed through all these traditional theoretical phases of economic integration between 2008 and 2018. The implementation of the Trade Protocol has been beset with institutional, administrative and infrastructural challenges which pose obstacles to the attainment of the other stages of economic integration in the time frames prescribed in the RISDP. These challenges are assessed for impact on the regional economic integration of SADC by evaluating the progress towards implementing the Trade Protocol provisions and the implementation of measures taken towards the launch of the Free Trade Area. Emerging issues are also identified and analysed for their effect on the Free Trade Area and the general economic agenda of SADC. Of particular note is the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) being negotiated with the European Union where SADC countries are negotiating in four different configurations. An analysis of this EPA situation reveals that it compounds a pre-existing problem: that of overlapping membership of regional trade agreements. Prior to the EPAs and the intensified drive towards the creation of the Customs Union, there was largely no need to rationalise the overlap in regional trade agreement memberships, but it is now a matter of urgency. The overlap in membership has complicated EPA negotiations and places serious doubts on the prospects of complete regional integration in SADC.This research concludes with observations on South Africa's complicated relationship with her SADC neighbours. South Africa's trade policies, as regards both the SADC region and the world, are discussed. Because of its political and economic dominance, South Africa's policies have a ripple effect on the rest of SADC; hence the need for South Africa to be vigilant in formulating and implementing its trade policies.

The new South Africa has an amazing economic growth that creates a significant opportunity for international companies to start their businesses in South Africa. For those companies which are interested in the South African market, it is very important for them to understand the factors that influence their entry-mode selection. The objective of this study is to determine the main factors that have an impact on the decision of a foreign business to enter South Africa. To achieve this objective, the researcher used an integrated study method, as follows: {u10007A} A systematic review of the popular entry-modes and the main factors influencing the entry-mode selection, sourced from the relevant literature. In addition, South African business was also introduced. {u10007A} Based on the factors related in the literature, an empirical survey was completed by those foreign companies who had already successfully entered into South Africa, in order to figure out the rank importance of these factors. With an integrated study of literature and empirical research, the rank importance of factors that have an impact on the foreign business entry-mode selection in South Africa is as follows: 1. Firm’s product 2. Control level of entry-mode 3. Ownership of entry 4. Resource commitment of entry-mode 5. Political factor 6. Firm’s objective 7. Technological factors 8. Economic factors 9. Firm’s experience in international marketing 10. Firm’s size 11. Dissemination risk of entry-mode 12. Socio-cultural factors 13. Flexibility of entry-mode Key terms: International market entry-mode South African business environment.

In the field of international trade there is an intriguing tension between the ideological allure of free trade and the political reality of protectionism. Typically, the former is favored by scholars while the latter has been more historically prevalent. Protectionism in the form of tariffs and other obstacles trade was generally a preferred trade policy around the globe in the 18th and early 19th centuries. Sweden was no exception and has been seen as highly protectionist and mercantilist during this period. This thesis has sought to shed new light on Swedish trade policy between 1780 and 1830. It has done so by quantifying and homogenizing tariffs and import bans in order to be able to analyze the structure of tariffs. The thesis stands on a theoretical ground which takes into account the different plausible reasons for setting tariffs. It has placed some emphasis on the possible tension between the desire to shelter one’s own industry from foreign competition and the need to use tariffs for fiscal purposes, as an important source of government revenue. It is therefore argued that tariffs need to be separated theoretically and empirically. A simple model is presented which aims to discern three types of tariffs. The model takes into account the tariff rate itself, and also the structure of trade and the presence of domestic substitution. The thesis has found that Swedish tariffs were generally high over the period and that protectionism was prevalent in a large number of economic sectors. There is tentative evidence that protectionist tariffs also distorted trade in certain types of goods, even if they didn’t have an impact on total import levels. Tariffs were also set so as to separate between raw materials and more processed goods, what is called mercantilist differentiation. Substantial empirical support is given to the claim that certain tariffs on inelastic consumption goods were of great fiscal importance, and increasingly so as the period progressed. The fiscal pressure maintained or even increased the import tariffs, which made it possible to decrease tariffs on exports.

The European Union is negotiating a free trade agreement with Japan since 2013. The subject of this diploma theses is to analyze how this agreement can influence either automotive industry. In order to understand the agreements possible influence, classical, neoclassical, contemporary and alternative theories of international trade and international trade policies are being examined. It is then analyzed what the agreement aims to accomplish in context of the Japanese macroeconomic, the history of trade relations and development, the current trade situation, production and demand on both markets. Finally, the agreement is compared to an existing agreement with Republic of Korea which is in a similar scenario. The result is that an increase of luxury cars being imported by each side is the most likely outcome.

The objective of the thesis is to assess the role of Japan in the world economy with a view to its contemporary role. This role is analyzed with the help of a comparison of the Japanese economy with the economy of the USA an the EU, especially throught their role in world trade.

The content of this diploma thesis is a comparison of China and India, not only from an economic point of view, since the mid 1990's. Both countries are compared from the perspective of their specifics (geographical, political, cultural and human resources), macroeconomic indicators and economic sectors of each country. Savings, investments, foreign trade, FDI, infrastructure and membership in international organizations or corporations are all characterized throughout the paper. Prospective future developments, opportunities for foreign investments and cooperation between countries, as well as the present status of China and India in the world, are also briefly characterized in this thesis.