La riduzione delle barriere tariffarie ha spostato il dibattito tra gli esperti di commercio internazionale sulle misure protezionistiche alternative (regole d'origine, proprietà intellettuale etc.). inoltre durante gli ultimi dieci anni la proliferazione degli accordi commerciali regionali ha acuito i timori di coloro che ritengono che la strada verso la liberalizzazione dei flussi commerciali internazionali debba passare attraverso l'OMC. questa tesi analizza il nesso tra i rimedi di difesa commerciale, le barriere tecniche al commercio e gli accordi commerciali regionali mediante un esercizio di mappatura di 53 accordi. tale mappatura è sviluppata mediante l'impiego di tabelle che riassumono il contenuto di ogni accordo per quanto concerne le barriere tecniche al commercio e i rimedi di difesa commerciale. Inoltre il presente lavoro effettua una ricognizione della letteratura empirica e teorica sull'argomento fornendo infine un contributo originale mediante l'utilizzo di un modello probit per l'analisi dei dati raccolti. i risultati ottenuti in parte confermano ed in parte smentiscono, a volte anche in maniera contro-intuitiva, alcuni fatti stilizzati dalla letteratura. / The reduction of tariff duties at multilateral and regional level has shifted the focus of international trade debate to other beyond-the-border protectionist measures (i.e. rules of origin, intellectual property, trade remedies etc.). Further during the last ten years the proliferation of regionalism has increased more and more the concern in the supporters of multilateral trading system. This thesis explores the linkages among trade remedies, technical barriers to trade and regional trade agreements. This analysis is performed through the creation of 4 benchmarking exercises (templates) mapping the provisions relevant to antidumping measures, countervailing duties, safeguards measures and technical barriers to trade included in 53 regional trade agreements. The aim of this thesis is to overview both theoretically and empirically the existing relevant literature in order to supply an original contribution to the understanding of the subject. The collection and the processing of the data offer some insight and, sometimes, counterintuitive findings about the modelling of trade remedies and technical barriers provisions in the regional trade agreements.

No description available.

This thesis examines the implementation, enforcement and evolution of IP laws and regulations in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. The period of interest includes the last decade of the twentieth century and the first decade of the twenty first century, with emphasis on the role played by Free Trade Agreements struck between Jordan and the United States, the European Union, and Jordan’s accession to the World Trade Organization. This thesis also examines the enforcement of the current set of IP laws in Jordan, and looks at their social and economic compatibility with the Jordanian societal norms and economic realities. This thesis argues that Jordanian IP laws lack a meaningful social and economic texture, and have failed to be evenly enforced in Jordan, essentially because they do not fit the Jordanian culture and are not compatible with Jordan’s economic stage of development. Additionally, the thesis argues that IP laws have had insignificant economic impact on the Jordanian economy as the majority of technologies used in Jordan, and the majority of foreign direct investments attracted to Jordan, are not IP related. Finally, the thesis argues that the current Jordanian enforcement model, which is built on coercion by donor countries, is serving the interests of foreign companies to the exclusion of the local citizens, and will not, in the long run, produce an enforcement model based on self-regulation by Jordanians, themselves. The laws, therefore, are unable to produce tangible results for the Jordanian people, or help meet their economic interests. The last part of the thesis deals with recommendations and suggestions aimed at creating an integrated approach to the adoption of IP policies.

Magister Legum - LLM / South Africa

Southern Africa generally has an arid climate and many hydrologists are predicting an increase in water scarcity over time. This research seeks to understand the implications of this in socio-political terms. The study is cross-disciplinary, examining how policy interventions can be used to solve the problem caused by the interaction between hydrology and demography. The conclusion is that water scarcity is not the actual problem, but is perceived as the problem by policy-makers. Instead, water scarcity is the manifestation of the problem, with root causes being a combination of climate change, population growth and misallocation of water within the economy due to a desire for national self-sufficiency in agriculture. The solution lies in the trade of products with a high water content, also known as 'virtual water'. Research on this specific issue is called for by the White Paper on Water Policy for South Africa. / Political Sciences / M.A. (International Politics)

Southern Africa generally has an arid climate and many hydrologists are predicting an increase in water scarcity over time. This research seeks to understand the implications of this in socio-political terms. The study is cross-disciplinary, examining how policy interventions can be used to solve the problem caused by the interaction between hydrology and demography. The conclusion is that water scarcity is not the actual problem, but is perceived as the problem by policy-makers. Instead, water scarcity is the manifestation of the problem, with root causes being a combination of climate change, population growth and misallocation of water within the economy due to a desire for national self-sufficiency in agriculture. The solution lies in the trade of products with a high water content, also known as 'virtual water'. Research on this specific issue is called for by the White Paper on Water Policy for South Africa. / Political Sciences / M.A. (International Politics)