Session documents

Global Supply/Value Chains have flourished in recent years because lower IT and trading costs have facilitated production combining high technology with cheap labour. Today, a substantial share of the production processes of GSCs takes place in developing countries. Policymakers in many developing countries are interested in linking their enterprises to GSCs because of the benefits in terms of employment, improvement in technology and skills, productive capacity upgrading and export diversification. However, participation in GSCs could sometimes mean developing country enterprises are stuck in low value-added segments of the chain. Developing countries would therefore need to identify and implement policies and measures to attract GSCs, maximize the benefits and spillovers from participation in GSCs by their enterprises and integrate such participation within their overall trade policies including in terms of engaging in high value addition.

The course would cover three aspects of global supply chain and trade namely (a) the policy implications, (b) specific examples (i.e. from biodiversity-based sectors) on supporting the participation of developing countries in global supply chains, and (c) some challenges for developing countries in regard to cross-border anticompetitive practices and global supply chains. It would be delivered by three speakers (to be designated) from the Division on International Trade in Goods and Services, and Commodities on each aspect of the GSC.

• Programme
• Presenters

Delivered by: Division on International Trade in Goods and Services, and Commodities (DITC)

Presentations:

• Policy implications
• UNCTAD experience supporting the participation of developing countries in global supply chains of biodiversity-based sectors 
• Cross-border anticompetitive practices and global supply chains 

Related documents:

• Global supply chains: trade and economic policies for developing countries
• Trade and Biodiversity: The BioTrade Experiences in Latin America.(UNCTAD/DITC/TED/2010/3)
• Guidelines for a Methodology to Support Value Chains for BioTrade Products: From the Selection of Products to the Development of Sector Strategies (UNCTAD/DITC/BCC/2008/1)
• Documents related to the 1st Biotrade congress, held in June 2012
• Cross-border anti-competitive practices: The challenges fro developing countries and economies in transition(TD/B/C.I/CLP/16).
• Review of the experience gained so far in enforcement cooperation, including at the regional level (TD/B/C.I/CLP/10)