Diplomacy & Defense Think Tank News

Autokratien sind weltweit auf dem Vormarsch. Um diesen Trend zu stoppen, müssen westliche Demokratien sowohl vor der eigenen Haustüre kehren als auch Demokratien in Entwicklungsländern fördern.

Autokratien sind weltweit auf dem Vormarsch. Um diesen Trend zu stoppen, müssen westliche Demokratien sowohl vor der eigenen Haustüre kehren als auch Demokratien in Entwicklungsländern fördern.

Autokratien sind weltweit auf dem Vormarsch. Um diesen Trend zu stoppen, müssen westliche Demokratien sowohl vor der eigenen Haustüre kehren als auch Demokratien in Entwicklungsländern fördern.

The world is witnessing a trend towards autocratic rule. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has made it even more important to stop this trend. Western democracies must do their best – at home and in support of democracies in developing countries.

The world is witnessing a trend towards autocratic rule. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has made it even more important to stop this trend. Western democracies must do their best – at home and in support of democracies in developing countries.

The world is witnessing a trend towards autocratic rule. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has made it even more important to stop this trend. Western democracies must do their best – at home and in support of democracies in developing countries.

Since the previous version of this publication (September 2020), WTO negotiations on Investment Facilitation for Development have made steady progress. The number of participating members has increased to over 110, and the consolidated draft negotiation text has been updated to reflect progress made regarding a number of provisions. A number of investment facilitation measures that were highlighted in the first edition of this publication seem to have been included in the current WTO Investment Facilitation for Development (IFD) Agreement draft text, or are under consideration by Members. Among the measures that indirectly contribute to development by increasing FDI inflows, the following seem to be included: maintain a list of support measures offered to inward investors, through online portals and notification to the WTO; enable the payment of fees and charges online; use new technology to facilitate investment, e.g., digital single window; grant permits or licences automatically if no government action is taken within statutory time limits: ‘silence is consent’; provide for risk-based approvals as part of authorisation procedures; track complaints through an investment grievance mechanism or ‘early warning system’ to identify and address issues early before they worsen; make it easy to secure work permits for skilled expatriates by making available e-visas or ‘green channels’; make publicly available lists of support measures for outward investors through online portals; and publish information on requirements and procedures for outward investment, if any, to assist interested parties. Furthermore, the ITC-DIE project called to facilitate not only more FDI, but also more sustainable FDI through the inclusion of facilitation measures aimed at directly increasing the development impact of FDI, to fully reflect the ‘for development’ purpose of the IFD Agreement. The first edition of this publication proposed the following direct investment facilitation measures that seem to have been included in the IFD Agreement draft text or are under consideration by negotiators: encourage foreign investors to incorporate internationally recognised principles, standards and guidelines of responsible business conduct; build and maintain a database of local enterprises to help investors identify potential subcontractors and local partners; and establish supplier-development programmes to increase the number and capacity of qualified local enterprises that can contract or partner with foreign affiliates. The project also emphasised the importance of providing technical assistance to developing countries and least developed country (LDC) Members to enhance their ability to facilitate FDI and, specifically, sustainable FDI. The current IFD Agreement draft text includes a section on the provision of technical assistance and capacity building for developing countries and LDC Members. In addition, the first edition of this publication included the recommendation to insulate the IFD Agreement from international investment agreements, and especially their dispute-settlement provisions, through appropriate treaty-interface clauses, to avoid the use of the IFD Agreement in investor-state dispute-settlement cases; the current IFD text contains an appropriate clause in this regard. This updated version synthesises what has been learned from numerous capacity-building workshops and consultations with stakeholders (governments, international organisations, investment promotion agencies (IPAs), the private sector, civil society, academia) conducted in the framework of the ITC-DIE project on Investment Facilitation for Development (parts of the project are co-organised with other organisations).

Since the previous version of this publication (September 2020), WTO negotiations on Investment Facilitation for Development have made steady progress. The number of participating members has increased to over 110, and the consolidated draft negotiation text has been updated to reflect progress made regarding a number of provisions. A number of investment facilitation measures that were highlighted in the first edition of this publication seem to have been included in the current WTO Investment Facilitation for Development (IFD) Agreement draft text, or are under consideration by Members. Among the measures that indirectly contribute to development by increasing FDI inflows, the following seem to be included: maintain a list of support measures offered to inward investors, through online portals and notification to the WTO; enable the payment of fees and charges online; use new technology to facilitate investment, e.g., digital single window; grant permits or licences automatically if no government action is taken within statutory time limits: ‘silence is consent’; provide for risk-based approvals as part of authorisation procedures; track complaints through an investment grievance mechanism or ‘early warning system’ to identify and address issues early before they worsen; make it easy to secure work permits for skilled expatriates by making available e-visas or ‘green channels’; make publicly available lists of support measures for outward investors through online portals; and publish information on requirements and procedures for outward investment, if any, to assist interested parties. Furthermore, the ITC-DIE project called to facilitate not only more FDI, but also more sustainable FDI through the inclusion of facilitation measures aimed at directly increasing the development impact of FDI, to fully reflect the ‘for development’ purpose of the IFD Agreement. The first edition of this publication proposed the following direct investment facilitation measures that seem to have been included in the IFD Agreement draft text or are under consideration by negotiators: encourage foreign investors to incorporate internationally recognised principles, standards and guidelines of responsible business conduct; build and maintain a database of local enterprises to help investors identify potential subcontractors and local partners; and establish supplier-development programmes to increase the number and capacity of qualified local enterprises that can contract or partner with foreign affiliates. The project also emphasised the importance of providing technical assistance to developing countries and least developed country (LDC) Members to enhance their ability to facilitate FDI and, specifically, sustainable FDI. The current IFD Agreement draft text includes a section on the provision of technical assistance and capacity building for developing countries and LDC Members. In addition, the first edition of this publication included the recommendation to insulate the IFD Agreement from international investment agreements, and especially their dispute-settlement provisions, through appropriate treaty-interface clauses, to avoid the use of the IFD Agreement in investor-state dispute-settlement cases; the current IFD text contains an appropriate clause in this regard. This updated version synthesises what has been learned from numerous capacity-building workshops and consultations with stakeholders (governments, international organisations, investment promotion agencies (IPAs), the private sector, civil society, academia) conducted in the framework of the ITC-DIE project on Investment Facilitation for Development (parts of the project are co-organised with other organisations).

Since the previous version of this publication (September 2020), WTO negotiations on Investment Facilitation for Development have made steady progress. The number of participating members has increased to over 110, and the consolidated draft negotiation text has been updated to reflect progress made regarding a number of provisions. A number of investment facilitation measures that were highlighted in the first edition of this publication seem to have been included in the current WTO Investment Facilitation for Development (IFD) Agreement draft text, or are under consideration by Members. Among the measures that indirectly contribute to development by increasing FDI inflows, the following seem to be included: maintain a list of support measures offered to inward investors, through online portals and notification to the WTO; enable the payment of fees and charges online; use new technology to facilitate investment, e.g., digital single window; grant permits or licences automatically if no government action is taken within statutory time limits: ‘silence is consent’; provide for risk-based approvals as part of authorisation procedures; track complaints through an investment grievance mechanism or ‘early warning system’ to identify and address issues early before they worsen; make it easy to secure work permits for skilled expatriates by making available e-visas or ‘green channels’; make publicly available lists of support measures for outward investors through online portals; and publish information on requirements and procedures for outward investment, if any, to assist interested parties. Furthermore, the ITC-DIE project called to facilitate not only more FDI, but also more sustainable FDI through the inclusion of facilitation measures aimed at directly increasing the development impact of FDI, to fully reflect the ‘for development’ purpose of the IFD Agreement. The first edition of this publication proposed the following direct investment facilitation measures that seem to have been included in the IFD Agreement draft text or are under consideration by negotiators: encourage foreign investors to incorporate internationally recognised principles, standards and guidelines of responsible business conduct; build and maintain a database of local enterprises to help investors identify potential subcontractors and local partners; and establish supplier-development programmes to increase the number and capacity of qualified local enterprises that can contract or partner with foreign affiliates. The project also emphasised the importance of providing technical assistance to developing countries and least developed country (LDC) Members to enhance their ability to facilitate FDI and, specifically, sustainable FDI. The current IFD Agreement draft text includes a section on the provision of technical assistance and capacity building for developing countries and LDC Members. In addition, the first edition of this publication included the recommendation to insulate the IFD Agreement from international investment agreements, and especially their dispute-settlement provisions, through appropriate treaty-interface clauses, to avoid the use of the IFD Agreement in investor-state dispute-settlement cases; the current IFD text contains an appropriate clause in this regard. This updated version synthesises what has been learned from numerous capacity-building workshops and consultations with stakeholders (governments, international organisations, investment promotion agencies (IPAs), the private sector, civil society, academia) conducted in the framework of the ITC-DIE project on Investment Facilitation for Development (parts of the project are co-organised with other organisations).

Die Wiederkehr nuklearer Abschreckung

As a result of the energy transition and digitalisation, the demand for raw materials is increasing drastically. At the same time, the raw materials markets are particularly tense due to the war in Ukraine and supply shortages are possible. Against this back­drop, the European Commission’s fourth list of critical raw materials and its action plan to promote resilient raw material supply chains, both published in September 2020, are of great political importance. So-called critical raw materials play an impor­tant role in the economy of the European Union (EU) but are also subject to a high supply risk. This journal review examines questions about the extent to which the objectives of the EU’s policy on critical raw materials are compatible with its other aims. It also discusses how intergovernmental cooperation in the extractive sector is practiced and the role of EU member states in the process. Ultimately, it also explores the geopolitical importance of critical raw materials for European projects for the future, a topic that has become all the more pertinent in view of the current debate on achieving energy independence from Russia.

In nur neun Monaten hat Tunesiens Präsident Kais Saied alle Macht an sich gerissen und die seit dem Umbruch 2011 etablierten Institutionen der jungen Demokratie demontiert. Mit einer neuen Verfassung, die per Referendum am 25. Juli 2022 abgesegnet werden soll, will er eine »Neue Republik« begründen. Saieds Pläne spalten das Land: Es wächst der Widerstand politischer und zivilgesellschaftlicher Akteure, die einen inklusiven Prozess einfordern. Unterdessen nähert sich Tunesien der Zahlungsunfähigkeit. Seine europäischen Partner, die viel in die Demokratisierung investiert haben, kommentieren die Entwicklungen in Richtung Autokratie mit Sorge, haben aber kaum Maßnahmen ergriffen. Mit jedem weiteren Schritt Saieds wird es schwieriger, Einfluss zu nehmen. Im Interesse der Stabilität des Landes gilt es, so bald wie möglich finanzielle und diplomatische Hebel zu nutzen, die Europa und der Internationale Währungs­fonds aufgrund der wirtschaftlichen und finanziellen Abhängigkeit Tunesiens haben.

Im Streit über den Stopp russischer Ölimporte haben die EU-Staaten einen Kompromiss erzielt und verhängen ein Embargo mit Ausnahmen. Dazu ein Kommentar von Claudia Kemfert, Energieökonomin und Leiterin der Abteilung Energie, Verkehr, Umwelt im Deutschen Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung (DIW Berlin):

Es ist gut und richtig, dass sich Europa auf ein schrittweises Öl-Embargo geeinigt hat. Allerdings ist es kein vollständiges, sondern ein „Öl-Embargo light“, vor allem werden Ausnahmen für Ungarn erlaubt. Sinnvoller wäre ein vollständiges Öl-Embargo aller EU-Länder. Ungarn bekommt etwa 65 Prozent seiner Öllieferungen aus Russland und hat Europa mit der Androhung eines Vetos maximale Zugeständnisse abgerungen. Auch für Ungarn gäbe es Möglichkeiten, Öl aus anderen Ländern zu beziehen. Ungarn verfolgt allerdings eigene Interessen und will weiterhin sein Land mit billigem Öl versorgen. So entsteht eine gewisse unfaire Situation zwischen den EU-Staaten, da einige teurere Öllieferungen akzeptieren müssen. Europa hat jedoch eine Blamage verhindern können und konnte so zumindest ein „Öl-Embargo light“ auf dem Weg bringen, das Russland empfindlich treffen wird. Gut ist vor allem, dass Deutschland und Polen kein Öl mehr aus Russland aus eben jener Pipeline beziehen werden, sondern andere Möglichkeiten erarbeitet haben. Wichtig ist, dass man andere Transportwege für die Versorgung insbesondere in Ostdeutschland nutzt. Es ist ein wichtiger Schritt in die richtige Richtung. Weitere müssen folgen.

Globalisation has been linked to social disintegration and political backlash against trade. How does this happen? And if we can absorb globalisation shocks to society, what are relevant policies to do so? I propose a framework that links globalisation to social cohesion outcomes, identifying three channels through which cohesion is affected: workers, households, and firms.

Globalisation has been linked to social disintegration and political backlash against trade. How does this happen? And if we can absorb globalisation shocks to society, what are relevant policies to do so? I propose a framework that links globalisation to social cohesion outcomes, identifying three channels through which cohesion is affected: workers, households, and firms.

Globalisation has been linked to social disintegration and political backlash against trade. How does this happen? And if we can absorb globalisation shocks to society, what are relevant policies to do so? I propose a framework that links globalisation to social cohesion outcomes, identifying three channels through which cohesion is affected: workers, households, and firms.