Issue No. 636, 1-15 March 2017
Investment issue to be revived at WTO?

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MAI at WTO under new avatar of MIF?
Proposals have been hatched to launch discussions at the WTO on framing multilateral investment facilitation (MIF) rules, sparking concerns that the controversial Multilateral Agreement on Investment (MAI) could make a comeback in a different guise.
by D. Ravi Kanth

Mexico has fared poorly under NAFTA, says study
Since entering into the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), Mexico’s economic performance has been disappointing, finds a study by a US think-tank.
by Kanaga Raja

El Salvador votes for water over gold
In response to enormous public pressure, lawmakers in El Salvador have rejected appeals by global corporations and voted to protect the country’s people and water supply by banning metallic mining.
by Pedro Cabezas

Analysis: Trade finance: effects of the Basel capital framework and other regulatory developments
This article updates and expands the discussion in TWE No. 570 (1-15 June 2014) on the impact of the global agenda for regulatory reform on banks’ participation in trade finance. The article includes, in addition to standard subjects under this heading, topics growing in importance such as Anti-Money-Laundering/Know Your Customer regulations, pressures on correspondent banking, and initial indications as to banks’ incorporation of environmental issues into their decision making.
by Andrew Cornford