Trade Policy Review for the European Communities

According to the 2007 Trade Policy Review, the general economic situation of the European Communities has improved, mainly due to increased private investments and exports. However, the report stressed that the EC needed further liberalization in the areas of services and agriculture, both internally and internationally.

For further information, and full access to the report, please click here.

Permalink

Taxes on Individuals in OECD Countries

The OECD’s has released Taxing Wages, which compares the tax burden on wage earners across OECD countries in 2006. The data demonstrates little change over the 2005 data.
Sample data points, along with links to more extensive data, can be found in the press release.

Permalink

Council of Europe Secretary-General Calls on UK to Ratify Convention on Action Against Trafficking in Human Beings

Speaking at the British House of Commons on February 28, Secretary-General Terry Davis called on the UK to ratify the Council of Europe’s Convention Against Human Trafficking. Albania, Austria, Moldova, and Romania have already become parties to the Convention.

For the full text of the speech, see here.

Permalink

ICC Prosecutor Asks Trial Chamber to Prosecute Two for War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity in Darfur

On February 27, ICC Chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo issued a report of his investigation into allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur.  He requested that the Pre-Trial Chamber issue summonses to Ahmad Harun, former head of the Sudanese “Darfur Security desk” State and Locality Security Committees in Darfur, and to Ali Muhammad Ali ABD-AL-RAHMAN (aka Ali KUSHAYB), a Janjaweed leader and member of the Sudanese military Popular Defence Force.  The men face indictment for 51 counts of crimes against humanity and war crimes based upon their participation in and recruitment for attacks on and persecution of civilian populations in Darfur in violation of the Rome Statute.

For more information, see here, for a full text of the Prosecutor’s Application, see here.

Permalink

ICJ Decision on Serbia’s Responsibility for Genocide

In Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (Bosnia and Herzegovina v. Serbia and Montenegro), the ICJ held: (1) that it had jurisdiction to hear the case under Article IX of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide; (2) that Serbia has not committed the crime of genocide in violation of the Convention; (3) that Serbia has not conspired to commit or incited the commitment of the crime of genocide; (4) that Serbia has not been complicit in the crime of genocide; (5) that Serbia failed to meet its Convention obligations to prevent the crime of genocide with regard to the genocide in Srebrenica in 1995; (6) that Serbia failed to meet its Convention obligations in failing to cooperate with the ICTY; and (7) that Serbia violated its obligations by failing to comply with provisional measures ordered by the ICJ in failing to take all possible measures to prevent genocide.  The ICJ ordered that Serbia comply with ICTY requests but declined to impose fines or payment of compensation by Serbia.

For more information, see here

Permalink

Norway Donates CHF2 Million to the Doha Development Agenda Global Trust Fund

On February 21, 2007, the Norwegian Government announced its CHF2 Million donation to the Doha Development Agenda Global Trust Fund (DDAGTF) for 2007, becoming the second biggest contributor to the Fund. This donation will finance technical assistance programmes and training activities for developing and least-developed countries.

For further information, please click here.

Permalink

Sierra Leone Special Court Defendant Dies in Custody

Sam Hinga Norman, former Sierra Leone Internal Affairs Minister and former head of the Civil Defense Forces militia during the conflict in Sierra Leone, died on 22 February. A detainee of the Special Court for Sierra Leone, Mr. Norman was flown to Dakar earlier this month for routine medical procedures. His death appears to be the result of heart failure during post-operative care. The verdict in the Mr. Norman’s case, where he was charged with 8 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, is pending. The President of the Special Court has ordered an inquiry into Mr. Norman’s death.

See here and here for more information.

Permalink

Secretary-General Proposes Peacekeeping Force for Chad

Violence and refugees spreading from Sudan have prompted United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to propose an 11,000-strong peacekeeping force for Chad. In addition to clashes between the Chadian government and Sudan-based rebel forces, the Secretary-General’s report pointed to the destabilizing effect of Darfur spillover, ethnic violence and widespread bandit activity in the region. The deployment would come as part of a larger program to stabilize central Africa, and would include increased UN involvement in the Central African Republic and Sudan. Mr. Ban emphasized that an increased UN presence would encourage belligerent parties to begin negotiations, and respect current agreements.
The full text of the UN statement can be viewed here.

Permalink

Convention on the Prevention of Terrorism to Go Into Force on June 1

Council of Europe Secretary-General Terry Davis announced on February 21 that the council’s Convention on the Prevention of Terrorism would go into force on June 1, following its ratification by Romania. It will be operative in Albania, Bulgaria, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, and the Ukraine.

For the full text of Davis’ statement, see here. For more background on the Convention and the Council of Europe’s anti-terrorism measures, see here.

Permalink

UN Human Rights Council Denied Visas to Darfur

The UN Human Rights Council’s planned fact-finding mission to Darfur has been denied access to the country by the Sudanese Government. In order to carry out its fact-finding mission, the UN Human Rights Council traveled to Chad to interview refugees of the Darfur crisis.

http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=21586&Cr=sudan&Cr1=darfur

Permalink