1. BACKGROUND
1.1 The Contact Group on Economic and Trade Issues (CGETI) is a key platform for BRICS Members to exchange views on a range of economic, trade and investment related issues. The exchange of policy perspectives and priorities lays an essential basis for enhanced coordination and cooperation among the BRICS Members on these issues.
1.2 This Trade and Investment Cooperation Framework is established under the CGETI and its terms of reference. It aims to locate the specific activities of the Group in a longer-term framework for enhanced coordination and possible joint action.
2. PRINCIPLES
2.1 To achieve mutually beneficial outcomes, this Trade and Investment Cooperation Framework operates according to the principles of equality, transparency, efficiency, mutual understanding and consensus.
2.2 This framework is open-ended and progressive. The cooperation initiatives may be adjusted, enriched and will evolve as issues of concern to its BRICS Members develop and change in the future, with the approval of the BRICS Trade Ministers’ Meeting and the CGETI.
3. OBJECTIVES
This cooperation framework is developed and initiated with the aim of:
3.1 Promoting trade, investment and economic cooperation among the BRICS Members.
3.2 Encouraging trade and investment links between BRICS countries with an emphasis on supporting industrial complementarities, sustainable development and inclusive growth.
3.3 Sharing policy practices on trade and investment among the Members.
3.4 Encouraging initiatives among BRICS Members to support institution-building to enhance productive capacity and value addition across various economic sectors and
3.5 Enhancing communication and coordination.
4. AREAS OF WORK
4.1 Multilateral cooperation and coordination
4.1.1 Strengthening coordination in the World Trade Organisation’s Doha Round, as well as in other multilateral fora where trade and investment matters arise.
4.1.2 Conducting regular meetings among BRICS high-level officials in multilateral and international organisations where trade and investment matters arise.
4.1.3 Identifying areas for possible development cooperation activities of BRICS that could support the development aspirations of developing countries.
4.2 Promoting and Facilitating Trade and Investment
4.2.1 Enhancing information exchange on trade/investment policies and business
opportunities through mechanisms including websites for trade/investment information sharing.
4.2.2 Encouraging their trade/investment promotion agencies to establish stronger relationships, and providing policy support for trade/investment missions amongst the BRICS Members.
4.2.3 Expanding cooperation on trade/investment promotion platforms such as trade fairs and expositions to increase opportunities for BRICS enterprises to meet, communicate and cooperate with each other.
4.2.4 Improving the transparency of the trade/investment environment in line with their respective laws and regulations.
4.2.5 Enhancing communication and cooperation in the areas of standardisation, certification, inspection and quarantine.
4.2.6 Enhancing communication and cooperation between agencies responsible for trade remedies.
4.2.7 Considering the effect that a positive outcome of the work by Ministries of Finance and Central Banks on settlement in local currencies may have as a support to enhanced intra-BRICS trade.
4.3 Innovation Cooperation
4.3.1 Establishing project platforms to promote communication and cooperation in hightechnology areas.
4.3.2 Encouraging the expansion of trade and investment in high value-added products.
4.3.3 Advancing dialogue and communications in emerging industries, and promoting trade and investment in industries that are technology, knowledge, or capital- intensive.
4.4 SMEs Cooperation
4.4.1 Conducting information exchange on SMEs regulatory and supporting policies, as well as the experiences and practices in this area.
4.4.2 Exploring possibilities of signing a BRICS SMEs Cooperation Agreement.
4.4.3 Encouraging promotion agencies such as SMEs associations and development centres to establish contacts and hold joint activities including trade/investment expos, human resource training, consulting, seminars, etc.
4.5 Cooperation on Intellectual Property Rights (IPR)
4.5.1 Enhancing information exchange on IPR legislation and enforcement through meetings or seminars.
4.5.2 Jointly developing capacity building programmes in the IPR area.
4.5.3 Promoting cooperation among IPR offices.
4.6 Cooperation on Infrastructure and Industrial Development
4.6.1 Sharing and exchanging information and experiences in infrastructure and construction.
4.6.2 Encouraging relevant enterprises to participate in infrastructure development and construction in the BRICS countries, and having mutually beneficial cooperation with each other.
4.6.3 Analysing the prospects for joint bids by BRICS enterprises in international infrastructure and construction projects.
5. SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES FOR 2013/14
The following activities will be encouraged or undertaken by the CGETI during 2013/14 as part of this Framework:
5.1 The development of BRICS information sharing and exchange platforms, such as the platform initiated by the Centre for BRICS Studies, Fudan University, China.
5.2 Work on reconciling merchandise trade data and models for services trade data collection.
5.3 A joint trade study to identify ways of promoting the export of higher value-added products among the BRICS Members.
5.4 BRICS seminar on investment protection agreements (South Africa, June 2013).
5.5 BRICS investment and trade promotion through the China International Fair for Investment and Trade (China, 8-9 September 2013).
5.6 Import Forum to promote the import of high value-added products from BRICS (China, second half of 2013).
5.7 SME promotion through the China International Small and Medium Enterprises Fair (China, September 2013).
5.8 Coordination for the WTO 9th Ministerial Conference in Bali, Indonesia in December 2013.
Enquiries:
Sidwell Medupe, Departmental Spokesperson
Tel: 01) 394 1650
Mobile: 079 492 1774
E-mail: MSMedupe@thedti.gov.za
Follow us on Twitter: @the_dti
