"World Bank shrugs off responsibility for hydro project in Laos", 23 June 2018 ...[T]he World Bank announced in a statement that the Nam Theun 2 Environmental and Social and Project had closed.... ...[T]he statement glosses over major and ongoing misgivings regarding the NT2 project's persistent failures to reach sustainability targets. ...The NT2 project led to the involuntary resettlement […]

厚生労働省は20日、2017年に実施した外国人技能実習生が働く事業所に対する調査結果を公表した。調査した5966事業所のうち、約７割の4226事業所で違法残業や賃金未払いなどの法令違反を確認した。前年より5.5％増え、４年連続で過去最多を更新した。外国人実習生への不当な扱いが後を絶たず、厚労省は監督指導を強化する。厚労省は外部情報などをもとに法令違反の疑いがある事業所に立ち入り調査などを実施。違反が見つかった場合は改善するよう指導している。同省によると、17年の調査事業所数は前年比5.1％増えた。法令違反があった事業所のうち、最も多かったのは36協定を結ばずに残業させるなど「労働時間」に関する事項で1566事業所（26.2％）。使用する機械の安全対策が不十分など「安全基準」が1176事業所（19.7％）と続いた。  

Approximately 70 percent of companies investigated by the labour authorities in 2017 were guilty of labour rights violations against foreign labourers in Japan under the Technical Internship Trainee Programme (TITP). Violations included forcing ‘interns’ to work excessive overtime, withholding of wages, and inadequate safety measures. In one case, a printing company had forced an ‘intern’ […]

American Airlines and others do not want the US government using their fleets to transport migrant children torn from their families as a result of the Trump administration's controversial border policy..."We bring families together, not apart," American Airlines said in a strongly worded statement Wednesday hours before President Trump signed an executive order to halt […]

"Amazon shareholders demand company stop selling facial recognition technology to governments", 19 June 2018 A group of Amazon shareholders is asking CEO Jeff Bezos to stop selling and marketing pattern-recognition technology to governments after civil liberties groups warned of the potential for abuse. Earlier this year, a group of advocacy organisations led by the American Civil […]

"Union wins first round in Deliveroo high court employment challenge", 15 June 2018 A union has been given the go-ahead for a high court challenge over the employment rights of Deliveroo riders in another step forward for gig economy workers. The Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB) wants the court to overturn a ruling that […]

A revista Biological Conservation, da editora global de literatura médica e científica Elsevier, publicou um relatório que alerta para os danos causados pelo Complexo Hidrelétrico de Belo Monte (CHBM) em Volta Grande, no Xingu. A área foi escolhida por ser um centro de diversidade de espécies da região, abrigo de significativa porcentagem de exemplares endêmicos, […]

"Swiss firms lack 'unified approach' on business and human rights", 14 June 2018 Companies in Switzerland are quite active when it comes to corporate social responsibility, but a common approach is lacking and many large firms are unfamiliar with their international human rights obligations, says business ethics campaigner Chantal Peyer...swissinfo.ch: In 2016, the Federal Council […]

En Gambie, après la mort lundi 18 juin de deux manifestants tués par la police dans la ville de Faraba Banta, les citoyens font entendre leur désarroi. Selon l'inspecteur général de la police, les agents de l'unité d'intervention n'étaient pas autorisés à utiliser des balles réelles. Pourtant, deux jeunes hommes de 17 et 22 ans […]

En Gambie, les événements de Faraba Banta ont poussé le chef de la police à remettre sa démission au président jeudi 21 juin. Trois personnes sont mortes lundi dans cette ville au sud de Banjul, alors que la police a tiré à balles réelles sur des manifestants. Ces habitants s'étaient rassemblés pour protester contre l'exploitation […]

The WTO Secretariat has circulated a meeting notice and list of items proposed for the next meeting, on 22 June 2018, of the Dispute Settlement Body, which consists of all WTO members and oversees legal disputes among them. The meeting notice is circulated in the form of a document officially called an “airgram”.

Japan has requested WTO dispute consultations with Korea regarding Korean anti-dumping duties levied on stainless steel bars from Japan. The request was circulated to WTO members on 21 June.

WTO members continued their three-year review of the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Agreement, proposing ideas on how to improve implementation of the Agreement at a TBT committee meeting on 19-21 June. Eleven new proposals were submitted by members, with the committee scheduled to conclude the review by November 2018. Members also discussed 61 specific […]

Norway has requested WTO dispute consultations with the United States regarding US duties on certain imported steel and aluminium products. The request was circulated to WTO members on 19 June.

The seventh review of the trade policies and practices of Norway takes place on 18 and 20 June 2018. The basis for the review is a report by the WTO Secretariat and a report by the Government of Norway.

Twenty-two government officials from Latin America and the Caribbean are attending the Advanced Trade Policy Course (ATPC), which is taking place at WTO headquarters in Geneva from 4 June to 27 July 2018. The course was opened by Raymundo Valdes, Head of the Course Design and Training Section of the Institute for Training and Technical […]

Representatives from 42 least-developed countries (LDCs) met at the first Global Forum on Inclusive Trade for LDCs taking place at the WTO on 13-14 June 2018 to seek ways to further integrate the world’s poorest countries into the multilateral trading system. The event has been organized by the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF), a programme dedicated […]

Speaking at a WTO Symposium on the Agriculture Policy Landscape on 13 June, Deputy Director-General Alan Wolff said WTO members need to commit to sharing information, broadening perspectives and engaging with each other with open minds in order to build resilience in the global agri-food system. In conclusion, he said: “Together we can identify opportunities […]

At a meeting of the Agriculture Committee on 11-12 June, WTO members discussed a counter-notification filed by the United States regarding India’s farm subsidies. Members also held their annual discussion on export competition and agreed to conclude the first three-year review of the elimination of export subsidies at the Committee meeting in September. In addition, […]

The fifth review of the trade policies and practices of Colombia takes place on 12 and 14 June 2018. The basis for the review is a report by the WTO Secretariat and a report by the Government of Colombia.

Following the European Commission's recent comments on justice and home affairs after Brexit, Open Europe's Anna Nadibaidze argues that the EU's own 'red lines' could result in a outcome that is detrimental to both the EU and the UK. The post What does the EU position on justice and home affairs mean for European security? […]

Open Europe's Director Henry Newman appeared on the BBC's Daily Politics programme to discuss Open Europe's new report, "Striking a Balance: A blueprint for the future UK-EU economic partnership", arguing that the UK should seek to remain closely aligned to the EU on goods regulations while retaining the ability to diverge on services. Newman appeared […]

Open Europe's new report outlines a proposal for the future bilateral trading relationship where the UK remain highly integrated with the EU in goods, but obtains the flexibility to diverge in services. The post Striking a Balance: A blueprint for the future UK-EU economic partnership appeared first on Open Europe.

Open Europe's Henry Newman appeared on ITV's Peston on Sunday programme from May 27, discussing the progress of Brexit negotiations, the EU (Withdrawal) Bill, the option of a second referendum and the customs union debate. The post Customs union is not the right answer to Brexit questions appeared first on Open Europe.

Against the background of an ongoing row over the UK's participation in the EU's Galileo programme, both sides have presented their vision for future bilateral security partnership. Open Europe's Aarti Shankar argues that the solution to the Galileo argument could determine how ambitious a UK-EU defence and security agreement is.The post How “special” will the […]

The European Commission yesterday published its proposal for the next EU budget, due to run from 2021-2027. The proposal features some modernising aspects, but it is likely to be resisted in many European capitals. Open Europe’s Enea Desideri takes a look at the document’s key features and at member states’ initial reactions.The post There are […]

Following the recent anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, Open Europe's Aarti Shankar notes that tensions are surfacing in UK-Ireland relations over the Brexit border issue.The post British-Irish relations show signs of Brexit strain appeared first on Open Europe.

Following a joint operation conducted by the US, France and the UK in Syria last week, Open Europe’s Enea Desideri considers how that intervention illustrates the foreign and defence policy dilemmas facing Europe after BrexitThe post What future for Europe’s foreign and defence policy? appeared first on Open Europe.

Following comments by Labour's Barry Gardiner that it is not possible to achieve the "exact same benefits" as part of a future UK-EU deal, Open Europe's Henry Newman assesses the politics of the Opposition's Brexit tests.The post What to make of Labour’s Brexit tests? appeared first on Open Europe.

Michel Barnier's yesterday suggested that the UK could change its mind on membership of the Single Market and the Customs Union during the Brexit transition, Open Europe's Henry Newman argues that this has important domestic implications for the "meaningful" parliamentary vote on Brexit, and for amendments to the UK Customs bill.The post Examining Barnier’s latest […]