NAFTA: Partners Reaffirm Free Trade Commitment

NAFTA trilateral trade has increased three fold in fifteen years (N.B. to $949 Billion as of 2008) and, given certain countervailing pressures, it is encouraging to see the NAFTA participants reconfirm their commitment to the free trade principles…

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Canada: Rewrite to Investment Canada Act Possible

Court action by US Steel, arising from its acquisition of Stelco (a Canadian company), may prompt a review and rewrite of the Investment Canada Act, which regulates the investment in Canadian companies by foreign investors.  The current provisions…

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India: Wither Positive Tax Reform

While positive aspects of Indian tax reform have been more common place in recent times, this article highlights some of the less than inspired choices being made by the Indian Parliament, in the area of both domestic and…

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South Africa – BEE Compliance

As has been commented, on a number of previous blog posts, the Black Economic Empowerment regime in South Africa, although well intentioned and noble in it’s objectives, has remained the subject of concern, regarding uniform and universal application. …

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IP Ownership – Read the Contract

This article from World University News is a great survey of the issues involved in Intellectual Property (“IP”) ownership, and the significance of the express language of the contract of employment. UWN – Who owns IP, university or…

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South Africa: Micro Business and Venture Capital Investment

Two relatively recent amendments to the Income Tax Act (South Africa) reflect a policy of encouraging the development of small enterprises. The first of these is aimed at reducing the compliance burden of micro enterprises and the second…

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Georgia: Wooing Foreign Investors

Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili pushes a plan to liberalise the economy to attract more investment and decouple from the Russian economy. Follow the link to watch a brief video clip on the move by Georgia to boost its…

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Russia: Government Still has Faith in “Central Planning” Model

Every few years, we see the emergence of the “next big thing” which invariably required government to act as the economic incubator to spearhead a new national industrial base to challenge the worlds best.  Nano technology is, and…

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Zimbabwe: The Ill Effects of Ill Advised Government Action

This Blog reviews, and generally extols the virtue of, trade and economic liberalization.  The positive effects of trade and economic reform are well documented here and elsewhere.  Having said that, there has seldom in recent years, been such…

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UK: Companies Face Greater Compliance Requirements

Companies operating in the U.K. are set to face multiple Company Act amendments that include greater powers for the registrar and stricter legislation in reporting of any changes to company Articles but also allow more privacy to company…

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