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There is today a great interest in understanding how governments can promote innovation and the benefits it brings, as evidenced by the discussions at the 2007 OECD Ministerial Council Meeting. Against this background, the OECD Trade Committee decided to undertake a \"Trade and Innovation Project\", to gain a better understanding of how trade and investment patterns and policies affect innovation capacity, and interact with other key policies influencing innovation performance. This paper is one of the five case studies conducted in the framework of this project. It examines how recent trade and investment patterns (including \"trade in tasks\" resulting from supply chain fragmentation) and Finnish and global policies promoting market openness and free trade have affected the innovation process in Finland’s (mobile) telecom equipment industry. The study illustrates how regulatory, trade and investment policy choices have helped -- alongside other key policies-- provide the right framework conditions for innovation in this country of 5.2 million people. In addition, it examines how the private sector, and more particularly Nokia, has taken advantage of those conditions to enhance its innovation capacity. This study does not constitute an in-depth evaluation of the effectiveness of Finnish public policies nor of Nokia’s business strategy. Rather, it provides an illustration of how certain public policy choices and business strategies can contribute to a country’s innovation performance.

There is today a great interest in understanding how governments can promote innovation and the benefits it brings, as evidenced by the discussions at the 2007 OECD Ministerial Council Meeting. Against this background, the OECD Trade Committee decided to undertake a \"Trade and Innovation Project\", to gain a better understanding of how trade and investment patterns and policies affect innovation capacity, and interact with other key policies influencing innovation performance. This paper is one of the five case studies conducted in the framework of this project. It examines how recent trade and investment patterns (including \"trade in tasks\" resulting from supply chain fragmentation) and Finnish and global policies promoting market openness and free trade have affected the innovation process in Finland's (mobile) telecom equipment industry. The study illustrates how regulatory, trade and investment policy choices have helped - alongside other key policies- provide the right framework conditions for innovation in this country of 5.2 million people. In addition, it examines how the private sector, and more particularly Nokia, has taken advantage of those conditions to enhance its innovation capacity. This study does not constitute an in-depth evaluation of the effectiveness of Finnish public policies nor of Nokia's business strategy. Rather, it provides an illustration of how certain public policy choices and business strategies can contribute to a country's innovation performance. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]

There is today a great interest in understanding how governments can promote innovation and the benefits it brings, as evidenced by the discussions at the 2007 OECD Ministerial Council Meeting. Against this background, the OECD Trade Committee decided to undertake a \"Trade and Innovation Project\", to gain a better understanding of how trade and investment patterns and policies affect innovation capacity, and interact with other key policies influencing innovation performance. This paper is one of the five case studies conducted in the framework of this project. It examines how recent trade and investment patterns (including \"trade in tasks\" resulting from supply chain fragmentation) and Finnish and global policies promoting market openness and free trade have affected the innovation process in Finland's (mobile) telecom equipment industry. The study illustrates how regulatory, trade and investment policy choices have helped -- alongside other key policies-- provide the right framework conditions for innovation in this country of 5.2 million people. In addition, it examines how the private sector, and more particularly Nokia, has taken advantage of those conditions to enhance its innovation capacity. This study does not constitute an in-depth evaluation of the effectiveness of Finnish public policies nor of Nokia's business strategy. Rather, it provides an illustration of how certain public policy choices and business strategies can contribute to a country's innovation performance.

As part of its work on regionalism, the OECD Trade and Agriculture Directorate has completed a series of studies that compare rule-making provisions in regional trade agreements with those in the World Trade Organisation (e.g., in the area of services, investment and competition). This paper aims to complement existing studies, by examining legal provisions regarding \"technical barriers to trade\" (i.e., technical regulations, standards and conformity assessment procedures) in selected bilateral and regional trade agreements, and their degree of similarity and convergence with the WTO Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade, and with each other. The study reveals that most provisions regarding technical barriers to trade (TBT) included in bilateral and regional trade agreements converge towards the multilateral trading system. When implemented effectively, agreements seeking deeper economic integration and regulatory cooperation, in particular, can complement and strengthen the implementation the WTO Agreements on Technical Barriers to Trade by setting the pace for improved regulatory practices and TBT-related infrastructure in member countries (e.g., through regional consultation fora and joint standardisation and accreditation bodies). Some caveats however remain. When overlapping agreements promote different criteria for the harmonisation of standard-related measures and when bilateral or regional initiatives are conducted in isolation from international efforts and divert attention from multilateral trade and standards-related negotiations, new obstacles may arise both for regulators and businesses. Such constraints are further magnified for low income countries afflicted by administrative and technical capacity-related problems. To remedy these potential problems, the study proposes a number of policy recommendations. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]

As part of its work on regionalism, the OECD Trade and Agriculture Directorate has completed a series of studies that compare rule-making provisions in regional trade agreements with those in the World Trade Organisation (e.g., in the area of services, investment and competition). This paper aims to complement existing studies, by examining legal provisions regarding \"technical barriers to trade\" (i.e., technical regulations, standards and conformity assessment procedures) in selected bilateral and regional trade agreements, and their degree of similarity and convergence with the WTO Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade, and with each other. The study reveals that most provisions regarding technical barriers to trade (TBT) included in bilateral and regional trade agreements converge towards the multilateral trading system. When implemented effectively, agreements seeking deeper economic integration and regulatory cooperation, in particular, can complement and strengthen the implementation the WTO Agreements on Technical Barriers to Trade by setting the pace for improved regulatory practices and TBT-related infrastructure in member countries (e.g., through regional consultation fora and joint standardisation and accreditation bodies). Some caveats however remain. When overlapping agreements promote different criteria for the harmonisation of standard-related measures and when bilateral or regional initiatives are conducted in isolation from international efforts and divert attention from multilateral trade and standards-related negotiations, new obstacles may arise both for regulators and businesses. Such constraints are further magnified for low income countries afflicted by administrative and technical capacity-related problems. To remedy these potential problems, the study proposes a number of policy recommendations.

As part of its work on regionalism, the OECD Trade and Agriculture Directorate has completed a series of studies that compare rule-making provisions in regional trade agreements with those in the World Trade Organisation (e.g., in the area of services, investment and competition). This paper aims to complement existing studies, by examining legal provisions regarding \"technical barriers to trade\" (i.e., technical regulations, standards and conformity assessment procedures) in selected bilateral and regional trade agreements, and their degree of similarity and convergence with the WTO Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade, and with each other. The study reveals that most provisions regarding technical barriers to trade (TBT) included in bilateral and regional trade agreements converge towards the multilateral trading system. When implemented effectively, agreements seeking deeper economic integration and regulatory cooperation, in particular, can complement and strengthen the implementation the WTO Agreements on Technical Barriers to Trade by setting the pace for improved regulatory practices and TBT-related infrastructure in member countries (e.g., through regional consultation fora and joint standardisation and accreditation bodies). Some caveats however remain. When overlapping agreements promote different criteria for the harmonisation of standard-related measures and when bilateral or regional initiatives are conducted in isolation from international efforts and divert attention from multilateral trade and standards-related negotiations, new obstacles may arise both for regulators and businesses. Such constraints are further magnified for low income countries afflicted by administrative and technical capacity-related problems. To remedy these potential problems, the study proposes a number of policy recommendations.

The informal sector still constitutes an important part of developing country economies. In Africa, it is estimated to represent 43 percent of official gross domestic product (GDP), thus being almost equivalent to the formal sector. While this phenomenon may provide short-term solutions to poor households, in the longer term, it can seriously challenge the economic development of African countries. This study explores one particular aspect of the informal economy, namely informal cross-border trade in selected SubSaharan African countries, and identifies which trade facilitation measures (such as those currently negotiated at the World Trade Organisation) have the potential to encourage traders to switch from informal to formal trade. The paper considers measures that help reduce direct and indirect trade transaction costs arising from mandatory import- and export-related procedures; mechanisms that simplify trade-related regulations and requirements for selected low value transactions; and policies that help enhance compliance levels with existing international trade regulations. In addition, the study explores a number of complementary measures (such as the provision of effective business support services to \"formal\" traders and enhanced dialogue between traders and border agencies) which can further encourage firms to formalise their cross-border transactions. The paper does however not suggest that trade facilitation reform alone will help reduce informal cross-border trade nor that governments will be able to fully eliminate its incidence in the region. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]

The informal sector still constitutes an important part of developing country economies. In Africa, it is estimated to represent 43 percent of official gross domestic product (GDP), thus being almost equivalent to the formal sector. While this phenomenon may provide short-term solutions to poor households, in the longer term, it can seriously challenge the economic development of African countries. This study explores one particular aspect of the informal economy, namely informal cross-border trade in selected Sub-Saharan African countries, and identifies which trade facilitation measures (such as those currently negotiated at the World Trade Organisation) have the potential to encourage traders to switch from informal to formal trade. The paper considers measures that help reduce direct and indirect trade transaction costs arising from mandatory import- and export-related procedures; mechanisms that simplify trade-related regulations and requirements for selected low value transactions; and policies that help enhance compliance levels with existing international trade regulations. In addition, the study explores a number of complementary measures (such as the provision of effective business support services to ?formal? traders and enhanced dialogue between traders and border agencies) which can further encourage firms to formalise their cross-border transactions. The paper does however not suggest that trade facilitation reform alone will help reduce informal cross-border trade nor that governments will be able to fully eliminate its incidence in the region.

The informal sector still constitutes an important part of developing country economies. In Africa, it is estimated to represent 43 percent of official gross domestic product (GDP), thus being almost equivalent to the formal sector. While this phenomenon may provide short-term solutions to poor households, in the longer term, it can seriously challenge the economic development of African countries. This study explores one particular aspect of the informal economy, namely informal cross-border trade in selected Sub-Saharan African countries, and identifies which trade facilitation measures (such as those currently negotiated at the World Trade Organisation) have the potential to encourage traders to switch from informal to formal trade. The paper considers measures that help reduce direct and indirect trade transaction costs arising from mandatory import- and export-related procedures; mechanisms that simplify trade-related regulations and requirements for selected low value transactions; and policies that help enhance compliance levels with existing international trade regulations. In addition, the study explores a number of complementary measures (such as the provision of effective business support services to ?formal? traders and enhanced dialogue between traders and border agencies) which can further encourage firms to formalise their cross-border transactions. The paper does however not suggest that trade facilitation reform alone will help reduce informal cross-border trade nor that governments will be able to fully eliminate its incidence in the region.

Dans le cadre de son travail sur le régionalisme, la Direction des Échanges et de l'Agriculture de l'OCDE, a mené à bien une série d'études comparant les dispositions normatives contenues dans les accords commerciaux régionaux à celles de l'Organisation mondiale du commerce (par exemple dans le domaine des services, de l'investissement et de la concurrence). Le présent document entend compléter les études existantes en examinant les dispositions juridiques relatives aux « obstacles techniques au commerce » (autrement dit, les règlements techniques, les normes et les procédures d'évaluation de la conformité) d'un échantillon d'accords commerciaux bilatéraux et régionaux ainsi que leur degré de similarité et de convergence avec l’Accord de l'OMC sur les obstacles techniques au commerce, et entre eux. L'étude révèle que la plupart des dispositions relatives aux obstacles techniques au commerce (OTC) qui sont contenues dans les accords bilatéraux et régionaux convergent vers le système commercial multilatéral. Lorsqu'ils sont effectivement mis en oeuvre, les accords commerciaux visant une intégration et une coopération réglementaire accrue entre les parties peuvent venir compléter et renforcer l’application de l'Accord de l'OMC sur les obstacles techniques au commerce en donnant une impulsion à l'amélioration des pratiques réglementaires et du dispositif relatif aux OTC des pays membres (par exemple par le biais d'enceintes où peuvent se tenir des consultations ou d'organismes conjoints de normalisation et d'accréditation). Certains éléments viennent toutefois encore s'y opposer. Lorsque des accords commerciaux qui se recoupent promeuvent des critères différents pour l’harmonisation des mesures réglementaires et lorsque les initiatives bilatérales ou régionales sont menées indépendamment des efforts internationaux et détournent l'attention des négociations commerciales multilatérales relatives aux normes, il peut en résulter de nouveaux obstacles tant pour les autorités de tutelle que pour les entreprises. Ces contraintes sont en outre amplifiées dans les pays à faible revenu pâtissant de problèmes liés à l'insuffisance de leurs capacités administratives et techniques. Pour résoudre ces problèmes éventuels, la présente étude formule un certain nombre de recommandations.