Translation Engineering – Global Translation and Communication Services

Chile will become the OECD’s 31st member

11/01/2010 – Chile will become the OECD’s 31st member and its first in South America under an accession agreement signed on 11 January at La Moneda in Santiago by OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría and Chilean Finance Minister Andrés Velasco in the presence of President Michelle Bachelet. Chile’s membership will become official once necessary formalities, including parliamentary approval, have been completed.

Chile’s acceptance for OECD membership marks international recognition of nearly two decades of democratic reform and sound economic policies. For the OECD, Chile’s membership is a major milestone in its mission to build a stronger, cleaner and fairer global economy.

“The ‘Chilean way’ and its expertise will enrich the OECD on key policy issues” said Mr. Gurría during a signing ceremony in Santiago. “Chile has been engaged in a continuous effort to reform its economy.

This experience will be an asset for the OECD as we try to address issues such as inequality or sustainable pension systems” (read the speech in full).

President Bachelet hailed Chile’s accession to the OECD as “the start of a new road towards the future that opens new and great opportunities to advance more rapidly” towards the ranks of the world’s developed countries (read the President’s speech).

With both Chile and Mexico as members, and thanks to increasingly close co-operation with Brazil, the OECD will have substantially strengthened its links with Latin America. Four other countries – Estonia, Israel, the Russian Federation and Slovenia – are currently negotiating to become members of the OECD, and it is also working closely with other major economies, including China, India, Indonesia and South Africa, as well as with Brazil.

Since it began talks with the OECD in May 2007, Chile has taken significant steps by introducing new laws to end the banking secrecy that provides a shield for possible tax evasion and enabling prosecutors to pursue companies suspected of bribery and corruption.

“Public Health – From Science to Governance” Registration open now!

Today, registration opens for the workshop on Synthetic Biology “From Science to Governance”. This workshop, organised by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Health and Consumers will take place on 18-19 March 2010 in Brussels.

Synthetic Biology is an exciting new area of research which brings together many scientific disciplines, ranging from biology and basic research to engineering and designed solutions. Developments in this field are rapid, with applications in a wide range of areas: from biofuel production, to vaccine development; from landmines detection to the treatment of malaria patients.
The workshop brings together leading scientists and experts on the social, legal and ethical issues linked to synthetic biology. The event will provide updates on recent developments in scientific research and on how these developments will be used in industrial applications. The multidisciplinary nature of this issue raises challenges at regulatory and social levels. Approaches to possible governance needs will be discussed during dedicated sessions.

Globalisation, Transport and the Environment

What impact has globalisation had on transport? And what have been the consequences for the environment? This book aims to answer these questions and more. It looks in detail at how globalisation has affected activity levels in maritime shipping, aviation, and road and rail freight, and assesses the impact that changes in activity levels have had on the environment. The book also discusses policy instruments that can be used to address negative environmental impacts, both from an economic perspective and from the point of view of international law.

Publication date: 20 Jan 2010 Language: English Pages: 275 Tables: 28 Charts: 80 ISBN: 9789264079199 OECD Code: 972010021P1

Related reading

Environmental Outlook to 2030 (2008)

The Economics of Climate Change Mitigation: Policies and Options for Global Action beyond 2012 (2009)

——————————————————————————–

Other Versions: E-book – PDF Format

Further reading:
Communicating Environmentally Sustainable Transport – The Role of Soft Measures (Available)
Decoupling the Environmental Impacts of Transport from Economic Growth – (Available)

——————————————————————————–

Table of contents:

Acronyms
Executive Summary
Chapter 1. Introduction and Main Findings
Chapter 2. Globalisation’s Direct and Indirect Effects on the Environment
-Introduction
-Growth of Trade and FDI
-Early Research
-Indirect Effects
-Composition Effect
-Global Net Composition Effect
-The Technique Effect
-Scale Effect
-Globalisation and the Environment – Direct Effects
-Conclusions
Chapter 3. International Maritime Shipping – The Impact of Globalisation on Activity Levels
-Introduction
-Global Economic Role of Maritime Shipping
-Maritime Transformations Responding to Globalisation
-Maritime Shipping Activity
-Future Developments
-Conclusions
Chapter 4. International Air Transport – The Impact of Globalisation on Activity Levels
-Introduction
-Globalisation and Internationalisation
-The Basic Features of International Air Transport
-Effect of Globalisation on Airline Markets
-Institutional Challenges in Airline Regulation
-Technological Developments
-The Shifting Situation
-Conclusions
Chapter 5. International Road and Rail Freight Transport – The Impact of Globalisation on Activity Levels
-Introduction
-Recent Trends in International Trade Activity
-International Trade and Transport: Policy and Economics
-Other Considerations in International Trade of Physical Goods
-Recent Trends in International Freight Transport by Road and Rail
-Factors Influencing Recent Trends in International Road Freight Transport
-Factors Influencing Recent Trends in Rail Freight Transport
-Future Perspectives
-Conclusions
Chapter 6. International Maritime Shipping – Environmental Impacts of Increased Activity Levels
-Introduction
-Modelling of Air Emissions from Shipping
-Geographically Resolved Emission Inventory
-Atmospheric Impacts
-Other Environmental Impacts
-Conclusions
Chapter 7. International Air Transport – Environmental Impacts of Increased Activity Levels
-Introduction
-Aviation Growth and the Environment
-Hub-and-Spoke Networks
-Effect of Aviation on House Prices
-Conclusions
Chapter 8. International Road and Rail Freight Transport – Environmental Impacts of Increased Activity Levels
-Introduction
-Trends in Environmental Impacts from Transport
-Developments in Emission Factors of Road and Rail Vehicles
-Perspectives for Improving Environmental Peformance of Freight Transport
-Conclusions
Chapter 9. Policy Instruments to Limit Negative Environmental Impacts – An Economic Perspective
-Introduction
-The Problem of Climate Change and Current Responses
-Transport and CO2 Emissions: Where Demand Would Like to Go
-Road Transport
-Maritime Transport
-Aviation
-Conclusions
Chapter 10. Policy Instruments to Limit Negative Environmental Impacts – International Law
-International Law
-International Air Transport
-International Space Transport
-International Maritime Transport
-International Land Transport
-Other International Legal Regimes
-Conclusions

Die Zukunft der Energie / Projektförderung bei erneuerbaren Energien steigt in 2010 um 30 Prozent an

Wie sieht der Energiemix der Zukunft aus? Wie wird die Energieversorgung unseres Landes in den kommenden Jahrzehnten sichergestellt? Wie erreichen wir den Durchbruch zu den erneuerbaren Energien? Das neue Wissenschaftsjahr widmet sich mit der Energie diesem zentralen Zukunftsthema. Das Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF) blickt gemeinsam mit zahlreichen Partnern aus Wissenschaft und Wirtschaft in die Zukunft der Energie – und rückt damit eine existenziell bedeutsame Frage für die Gesellschaft in den Mittelpunkt des Wissenschaftsjahres. “Die Förderung der Energieforschung gehört zu den Prioritäten unserer Forschungspolitik. Das Wissenschaftsjahr soll dazu beitragen, die Debatte über neue Lösungen und Konzepte für die künftige Energieversorgung in die Mitte der Gesellschaft zu bringen”, sagte Bundesforschungsministerin Annette Schavan am Montag in Berlin bei der Präsentation des Wissenschaftsjahrs 2010 in Berlin. Das BMBF fördert in diesem Jahr die Energieforschung mit mehr als 400 Millionen Euro – das ist ein Plus um zehn Prozent im Vergleich zum Vorjahr. Besonders stark ausgebaut wird die Forschung in den Bereichen Energieeffizienz und erneuerbare Energien. In diesen Bereichen erhöht sich die Projektförderung des Ministeriums in diesem Jahr gegenüber 2009 um mehr als 30 Prozent. “Nur durch verstärkte Forschung werden wir den notwendigen Umbau unserer Energieversorgung erreichen”, sagte Schavan. Die Bereiche Energieeffizienz und erneuerbare Energien haben mit fast 40 Prozent den größten Anteil an den in diesem Jahr geplanten Aufwendungen des Ministeriums für Energieforschung. Das Wissenschaftsjahr Energie öffnet sich erstmals einem breiten Spektrum wissenschaftlicher Disziplinen. Das neue Wissenschaftsjahr beschäftigt sich gleichermaßen mit der Energieforschung wie mit der Ökologie, der Wirtschaft und der Gesellschaft. “Im Wissenschaftsjahr Energie werden wir den direkten Dialog mit allen wichtigen Akteuren und mit den Bürgerinnen und Bürgern führen”, sagte Ministerin Schavan. “Entscheidend ist, dass Politiker und Wissenschaftler beim Entwickeln von nachhaltigen Lösungen für die Energieversorgung der Zukunft alle Bürgerinnen und Bürger von ihren Plänen überzeugen.” Die Wissenschaftsjahre sind eine Initiative des BMBF. Diese richtet das Ministerium gemeinsam mit der Organisation Wissenschaft im Dialog (WiD) und der Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft Deutscher Forschungszentren aus – zusammen mit sehr vielen und anerkannten Partnern aus Forschung, Wissenschaft und Wirtschaft. “Forschung und Wissenschaft arbeiten heute bereits intensiv und kreativ an einer sicheren, wirtschaftlichen und vor allem klimaverträglichen Energieversorgung von morgen. Dazu gehört der Ausbau erneuerbarer Energien genauso wie die Entwicklung moderner Kraftwerke oder intelligenter Stromnetze”, sagte Professor Eberhard Umbach, Vizepräsident der Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft für den Bereich Energie und Präsident des Karlsruher Instituts für Technologie. Die Aktivitäten im Wissenschaftsjahr sind vielfältig: Beim bundesweiten Tag der Energie am 25. September 2010 öffnen Forschungseinrichtungen, Hochschulen, Unternehmen, Museen und viele andere Partner ihre Türen und geben Einblicke in die Welt der Energieforschung. Das Jahr richtet sich vor allem an Kinder und Jugendliche. Mit der Online-Forschungsbörse wurde zum ersten Mal in einem Wissenschaftsjahr eine Plattform geschaffen, die Schulen und Wissenschaft zusammenbringt. Schulklassen und ihre Lehrkräfte finden unter www.forschungsboerse.de Termine, an denen sie renommierte Energieforscherinnen und -forscher zu sich einladen oder sie an ihrem Arbeitsplatz besuchen können. Auf dem Ausstellungsschiff MS Wissenschaft können sich Nachwuchsforscherforscher ab Mai in mehr als 30 Städten mit der Energieforschung in Deutschland beschäftigen. Neu in diesem Jahr ist das Diskussionsforum “Dialog an Deck”, bei dem öffentlich über verschiedene Energiethemen diskutiert wird. Mit einem Wettbewerb für Studierende unter dem Titel “Energie für Ideen” sucht das BMBF nach den besten Projektideen zum Dialog mit der Öffentlichkeit zur Zukunft der Energie. Bis zum 23. April können sich Studierende an Universitäten, Hochschulen und Fachhochschulen mit ihren Vorschlägen für Projekte bewerben. Insgesamt werden 15 Projekte mit jeweils 10.000 Euro für die spätere Umsetzung ihrer Ideen prämiert. Weitere Informationen zum Wissenschaftsjahr 2010 – Die Zukunft der Energie und dem Hochschulwettbewerb finden Sie unter: www.zukunft-der-energie.de.

Council approves financial package for Croatian accession

European Union foreign ministers meeting in the General Affairs Council on 7 December agreed the financial package for Croatian accession.

Using 1 January 2012 as a technical working hypothesis for Croatia’s EU accession date, the Council decided to back the Commission’s proposed financial package. This was a “sound and fair basis for the presentation by the Commission of draft EU common positions on the negotiating chapters with financial implications (agriculture and rural development, regional policy and coordination of structural instruments, financial and budgetary provisions, and other issues)”, the Council concluded.

The agreed package amounts to €985.1 million for 2012 and €1,001.4 million for 2013. By far the largest amount of funding will be allocated to “sustainable growth” policies, which includes structural and cohesion funding: a total of €2,392.3 million over the two years. Next comes agricultural and rural development spending, for a total of €681.3 million. Funding has only been provisionally agreed for these two years because the EU’s current seven-year financial perspective ends on 31 December, 2013.

The Council recalled that the precise date for Croatian accession would depend on how soon Zagreb meets all outstanding requirements. As of 27 November, Croatia had opened 28 out of 35 negotiating chapters, of which it had closed 17. At the Inter-Governmental Conference on 21 December, Croatia has closed the chapters on free provision of services and social policy, thus marking further progress in the accession negotiations with the EU

Interim agreement with Serbia unblocked

The General Affairs Council on 7 December also decided to allow the interim agreement on trade between the EU and Serbia to be implemented “as soon as possible”. The move came in recognition of Belgrade’s improved cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in The Hague.

Foreign ministers agreed to move forward with the interim agreement after Serge Brammertz, the chief prosecutor at the tribunal, noted that Serbia’s cooperation with his office had improved and requests for access to documents and archives “were being dealt with more expeditiously and effectively”.

Previously, the Netherlands had objected to the implementation of the agreement as a result of what it said was insufficient cooperation with the ICTY. In the wake of the General Affairs Council’s decision, Dutch Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen reiterated the need for Serbia to apprehend the indicted war criminals Ratko Mladic and Goran Hadzic.

Invitation to participants to submit papers

At its 15th session, the Committee invited Member States and accredited observers to make available to the Secretariat papers describing regional, national and community policies, measures and experiences regarding intellectual property and genetic resources.

To facilitate the preparation, translation and distribution of these papers as information documents for the next session of the Committee, participants are requested to submit their papers before February 12, 2010 by email to grtkf@wipo.int.

The following notification has just been published:

Protocol Relating to the Madrid Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Marks – Declaration by the Syrian Arab Republic Madrid (Marks) Notification No. 187

Indigenous Fellowship

Following the successful launch of the WIPO Indigenous IP Law Fellowship Program in August 2009, WIPO is now seeking expressions of interest from suitably qualified individuals for the period April to December 2010.
15th session of the WIPO Intergovernmental Committee
The Decisions are available on the Traditional Knowledge, Genetic Resources and Traditional Cultural Expressions/Folklore website.
16th session of the WIPO Intergovernmental Committee
The dates for the 16th session of the IGC have provisionally been set as May 3 to 7, 2010.