US ECONOMICS
EU
U.S. Department of State. 10/18/2019. The European Council’s Conclusions on Enlargement. Morgan Ortagus, Department Spokesperson
The United States supports North Macedonia and Albania’s commitment to Transatlantic integration and aspirations to join the European Union. We are disappointed the European Council did not recognize each country’s very strong reform efforts by agreeing to open accession negotiations at this time. A positive decision would have reaffirmed the credibility of their EU path and firmly pushed back against malign external actors, who seek to undermine Western values and the Euro-Atlantic community. We recognize that the European Council did not say “no” to either Albania or North Macedonia, nor did the EU establish new conditions for the opening of accession negotiations. We hope that the European Council will reach a consensus on a positive decision for both countries well in advance of the EU-Western Balkans Summit next May.
The United States will remain a strategic partner of North Macedonia and Albania as they continue their work to strengthen the rule of law, further anti-corruption efforts, develop their economies, and fight organized crime. We encourage both countries to remain steadfast in building a transparent, rules-based, democratic society responsive to citizen needs. The United States will continue working with European partners to advance shared goals of stability and security in the Western Balkans.
FATF
U.S. Department of the Treasury. 10/18/2019. Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Reiterates Terror Finance Risks in Iran, Clarifies “Stablecoin” Guidance, Issues AML/CFT Reports. The U.S. commends FATF’s ongoing efforts to protect international financial system
Paris – Today the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) concluded its 31st plenary meeting with a public statement that, among other things, reiterates terrorist financing risks emanating from Iran. The FATF also clarified guidance on “stablecoins” and adopted virtual assets changes, among other reports related to anti-money laundering/countering the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT).
“For more than three years, Iran has repeated empty promises to the international community to stop financing terrorism and fix its corrupt and opaque financial system,” said Marshall Billingslea, Treasury Assistant Secretary for Terrorist Financing and Financial Crimes. “The Financial Action Task Force has determined that enough is enough. More countermeasures on Iran are now in force, and countries will be called upon to impose further financial restrictions to protect the international financial system if Iran hasn’t ratified and fully implemented the key treaties related to fighting money laundering and terrorist financing.”
FATF Re-Imposes Several Counter-Measures on Iran
The FATF re-imposed several counter-measures on Iran designed to protect the international financial system from abuse, and committed to continue monitoring Iran’s Action Plan. It also warned that by February 2020, Iran must ratify the Palermo and Terrorist Financing Conventions in line with FATF standards or the FATF will fully lift the suspension of countermeasures.
FATF Clarifies Guidance on “Stablecoins” and Virtual Assets
As a follow-up to the groundbreaking changes to FATF standards regarding virtual assets adopted under the U.S Presidency (July 2018 – June 2019), the FATF today also adopted changes to its methodology that specify how countries and covered entities will be assessed for their compliance with the relevant recommendations. These changes apply immediately to all future assessments as well as follow-up reports for countries that have already undergone an assessment. The FATF also issued a public statement clarifying that the FATF standards apply to “stablecoins” and their service providers. The FATF is actively monitoring emerging digital assets and agreed to examine their characteristics and risks, and consider further clarifications on how the FATF standards apply to global “stablecoins” and their service providers.
FATF Updates Report on ISIL and Al-Qaeda
To assist FATF members and the FATF global network in combating ISIL and Al-Qaeda financing, the FATF also adopted its eleventh non-public update on the financing of ISIL/Daesh, Al-Qaeda and affiliate groups. This report details the evolving financial relationship between remaining Daesh leadership in Iraq and Syria and its affiliate groups, as well as how Daesh continues to exploit poorly supervised and unregistered money transmitters to move funds to finance its terrorism around the world.
Identifying Countries with Strategic AML/CFT Deficiencies
The FATF also called on all countries to apply countermeasures on North Korea due to the ongoing money laundering, terrorist financing, and weapons of mass destruction proliferation financing risks to the international financial system. In addition, the Plenary identified countries that are working with the FATF to implement an Action Plan and strengthen their domestic frameworks. FinCEN will release an advisory updating financial institutions to the FATF list of jurisdictions with strategic AML/CFT deficiencies.
Adoption of Mutual Evaluation Reports of Russia and Turkey
The Mutual Evaluation Reports of Russia and Turkey were also adopted and will be published on the FATF website by the end of the year, representing the culmination of a peer review by FATF members to assess both jurisdictions’ AML/CFT and counter-proliferation financing legal frameworks as well as the measures in place to implement these frameworks effectively.
FULL DOCUMENT: http://www.fatf-gafi.org/publications/fatfgeneral/documents/outcomes-plenary-october-2019.html
CUBA
U.S. Department of State. 10/18/2019. Detention of Cuban Human Rights Defender José Daniel Ferrer. Michael R. Pompeo, Secretary of State
The U.S. government strongly condemns the Cuban regime’s unconscionable detainment of human rights defender José Daniel Ferrer, founder of the Patriotic Union of Cuba (UNPACU). We call on the Castro regime to immediately disclose Mr. Ferrer’s location and condition, to treat him humanely, and to release him from detention without condition.
On October 1, Castro regime officials detained Mr. Ferrer and several other human rights defenders in Santiago de Cuba. Mr. Ferrer reportedly has still not been informed of any charges against him, and has been denied access to a lawyer and to medical care. Mr. Ferrer’s family has not been permitted contact with him since October 4. Fellow UNPACU activists Roilan Zarraga Ferrer, José Pupo Chaveco, and Fernando González Vailant also remain in custody.
José Daniel Ferrer’s case is one more example of the Castro regime’s continuous and flagrant violation of human rights, which has recently escalated into a wave of repression against freedoms of speech, expression, and religion. The United States will not allow these abuses against the Cuban people to go unnoticed or unanswered. We will continue to increase sanctions and trade restrictions to diminish the resources available to the Cuban regime, which uses its income to suppress its own citizens and to prop up other regimes with shameful human rights records, including the former Maduro regime in Venezuela.
DoC. October 18, 2019. U.S. Department of Commerce Further Tightens Cuba Sanctions
WASHINGTON – Today, the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) of the U.S. Department of Commerce announced that it will further restrict the Cuban regime’s access to commercial aircraft and other goods. This action supports the Administration’s earlier decision to hold the Cuban regime accountable for repressing its own people as well as continuing to provide support to the illegitimate Maduro regime which has terrorized the Venezuelan population and wantonly destroyed the once-prosperous economy relied on by millions.
“This action by the Commerce Department sends another clear message to the Cuban regime – that they must immediately cease their destructive behavior at home and abroad,” said Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. “The Trump Administration will continue to act against the Cuban regime for its misdeeds, while continuing to support the Cuban people and their aspirations for freedom and prosperity.”
In order to generate revenue for its illicit activities, the Cuban regime is resorting to transporting tourists on leased aircraft subject to BIS jurisdiction. Consequently, BIS is revoking existing licenses for aircraft leases to Cuban state-owned airlines, and will deny future applications for aircraft leases. Additionally, BIS is expanding Cuba sanctions to include more foreign goods containing U.S. content, and is imposing additional restrictions on exports to the Cuban regime.
BIS’s mission is to advance U.S. national security and foreign policy objectives by ensuring an effective export control and treaty compliance system, and promoting continued U.S. strategic technology leadership. BIS is committed to preventing U.S.-origin items from supporting Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) projects, terrorism, or destabilizing military modernization programs.
FULL DOCUMENT: www.bis.doc.gov
IMF - WB ANNUAL MEETING
U.S. Department of the Treasury. 10/18/2019. IMFC Statement of U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin issued the following statement at the Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank:
I welcome the opportunity to discuss with my counterparts the challenges facing the global economy. Recent signs of weakness in parts of the global economy underscore the need for countries to use all tools at their disposal to reignite growth. With space for monetary easing diminishing in many countries, fiscal policy paired with pro-growth structural reforms that will durably raise investment, job creation, and productivity will need to play a larger role. The IMF can support global growth by remaining focused on its core mission and delivering sound policy advice that will help countries advance necessary reforms.
Despite slowing global growth, the U.S. economy remains strong. In July, the United States marked its longest expansion in recorded history. The Administration’s policies of regulatory reform and corporate tax reform have succeeded in lowering barriers to investment, thereby priming the economy for faster growth. American households have also experienced continued labor market strength and the highest sustained wage growth in a decade, both of which we expect will support strong consumption spending and the stabilization of residential investment.
We are preparing a foundation for future growth through fairer trade deals. To this end, the United States is working with other countries on agreements for free and fair trade, and the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) is a major success in achieving that goal. The United States and Japan also recently reached agreement on an early outcome from negotiations on market access for agriculture and industrial goods, as well as an agreement on digital trade. Negotiations last week between the United States and China resulted in substantial progress on phase one of a trade deal between the two countries, which would address intellectual property protection, financial services, structural issues regarding agriculture, currency and foreign exchange, important aspects of forced technology transfer, and dispute resolution.
Outside of the United States, the current slowdown in growth among key economies, particularly China, Germany, and other parts of Europe, could prove longer or deeper than initially envisioned in the absence of policy action to raise actual and potential growth. Major economies need to take action to durably strengthen investment, job creation and domestic demand. With weakened growth in many economies where sovereign borrowing costs are at historically low levels, there is ample space for tax cuts and other fiscal measures that would support near-term activity and medium-term growth prospects. These measures should be paired with continued efforts to address vulnerabilities from elevated leverage and with structural reforms that will boost private sector-led growth. Many countries continue to lean heavily on monetary policy; more proactive support from fiscal policy and structural reforms would help reignite stronger and more sustainable global growth.
Global trade and current account imbalances have been broadly unchanged in recent years, and their high degree of persistence across major economies is contributing to the build-up of future risks. Moreover, weak demand and subdued real interest rates across the global economy are symptoms of the substantial excess saving that is not being productively employed within the domestic economies of China, Germany, the Netherlands and other major economies. To achieve stronger and more sustainable global growth – particularly at a juncture when global activity is flagging – countries that have maintained large and persistent external surpluses must pursue reforms that will revitalize domestically-driven growth.
An adequately-resourced IMF plays a valuable role in promoting international economic and financial stability and growth. With this in mind, we continue to support efforts to maintain the IMF’s current resources so that the IMF is sufficiently equipped to respond to potential crises over the medium term. We welcome the work underway to reach agreement on a broad package of IMF resources, including closure of the 15th General Review of Quotas and a proposal to double the New Arrangements to Borrow (NAB).
Central to any review of IMF resources, and key to the IMF’s future as an institution, is the trust we have in the IMF’s commitment to budget restraint and institutional efficiency. The IMF’s yearlong effort to closely examine its current compensation and benefits system is an important and necessary endeavor. As we head towards the conclusion of the review, we urge members to approve a robust set of proposals aimed at streamlining overall costs, modernizing salaries and benefits, restoring dynamism in the workforce, and increasing efficiency. These reforms are critical to enhance the ability of the IMF to better recruit, reward, and retain qualified staff and support the needs of today’s working families. As a public institution, the IMF needs to lead by example on these issues. Many of the reforms under consideration have already been taken by other international financial institutions and by IMF members.
Addressing debt transparency and sustainability continues to rank as a top issue facing the global economy and, in particular, low-income countries. Today, nearly half of all low-income countries are at high risk of debt distress or are in debt distress, often due to non-concessional, low-quality, and non-transparent arrangements from emerging creditors. The IMF can play a leading role in supporting government efforts to address these risks to debt sustainability. For example, IMF programs in Angola and Ecuador support government reforms that will improve public financial management and promote debt transparency. We strongly support the IMF and World Bank’s multi-pronged agenda, and we must work to build further momentum on reforms underway to enhance debt transparency and sustainability. Full publication of debt data must become the standard for member countries to promote better governance and accountability, which in turn will help to bolster investor confidence. The IMF should also continue to support countries with capacity limitations to move toward this standard of full debt transparency and to develop sound debt management frameworks. We should also leverage upcoming IMF policy reviews on the debt sustainability analysis of market access countries, provision of data for surveillance, and Special Data Dissemination Standards to broaden our definitions of public debt, increase transparency and promote greater debt sustainability.
The IMF should continue to take steps to strengthen its execution of its core mandate. The recent Review of Conditionality found that lasting program success depends not just on resolving balance of payments programs but also on achieving external viability and fostering economic growth. We look forward to implementation of the review’s recommendations through clear and specific guidelines for staff. The upcoming Comprehensive Surveillance Review provides an opportunity to reexamine the IMF’s execution of its core areas of surveillance – exchange rates, fiscal, monetary, and financial sector policies – and identify ways in which the IMF can more effectively fulfill its mandate.
The complexity of the work the IMF does and the systems it uses to do the work has increased dramatically, and the IMF needs an updated approach to confront risks stemming from this complexity. It is imperative that the IMF modernize the organizational structure of its risk management and align itself with best practices. To mitigate these risks, the IMF should move towards a more independent, centralized risk management unit led by a fully empowered chief risk officer who can present a comprehensive and up-to-date view of overall enterprise risk.
An adequately-resourced and efficient IMF that is focused on its core mission is critical to boosting long-term sustainable global growth. We look forward to working with the IMF and other members on reforms and a broad resource package that will enable the IMF to maintain its status as a leading economic and financial institution.
Finally, I want to thank Madame Lagarde for her many years of service as Managing Director of the IMF. It has been a pleasure working with her, and I look forward to continuing our close relationship in her new role at the European Central Bank. She has steered the IMF through ebbs and flows in the global economy, and the European Central Bank will be in good hands as it faces challenges both new and old going forward. I would also like to welcome Dr. Kristalina Georgieva in her new role as Managing Director. We look forward to working with her in the same spirit of close cooperation as we did when she was Chief Executive Officer of the World Bank.
U.S. Department of the Treasury. 10/18/2019. Statement by Secretary of the U.S. Treasury Steven T. Mnuchin
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin issued the following statement at the Annual Meeting of the Development Committee of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund:
I extend warm greetings to the delegates gathered here in Washington, D.C., for the Annual Meetings of the World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund (IMF). These meet
ngs provide us an opportunity to focus on the world’s most pressing development challenges.
I want to thank Dr. Kristalina Georgieva for her service as Chief Executive Officer of the World Bank. We look forward to working with her in the same spirit of close cooperation in her new, well-deserved role as Managing Director of the IMF.
Global Macro Conditions and Developing Countries
The U.S. economy continues to benefit from pro-growth policies and is a bright spot in the overall global outlook. But growth abroad has softened materially with risks of a further slowdown if countries do not take action to reinvigorate growth and bolster confidence. In countries where growth is weak and fiscal space available, fiscal policy can proactively support both near-term activity and medium-term prospects by reducing tax burdens and promoting investment. Structural reforms to boost private sector-led growth, sustained efforts to proactively address economic and financial vulnerabilities, along with continued investment in human capital, would help return the global economy to strong and broad-based growth.
Continued Action to Address Debt Vulnerabilities
Increasing debt levels among many emerging and low-income countries continue to be a primary concern. Unsustainable and opaque lending and borrowing practices undermine good governance and macroeconomic stability, ultimately weakening growth and poverty reduction. We welcome the progress to reduce debt vulnerabilities through the World Bank Group/IMF multi-pronged work agenda. Appropriate fiscal management and debt disclosure are central to good governance and reducing the frequency and severity of debt crises. It is therefore critical that the World Bank Group, IMF, other multilateral and bilateral development institutions, and all borrowers and creditors work together to implement robust debt transparency and management practices.
The Nineteenth Replenishment of the International Development Association (IDA-19)
The United States views IDA as a key instrument for promoting prosperity and lifting people who live in the poorest countries out of poverty. Our goal is to ensure that IDA-19 is structured to best support borrowing countries and address their most pressing development challenges. Over the past year, IDA Deputies and World Bank Management have made progress developing an ambitious set of policy commitments for the upcoming IDA-19 replenishment. IDA-19 must remain focused on restoring stability in some of the most fragile countries, increasing women’s economic participation, promoting economic transformation and private sector job creation, and encouraging good governance and accountability. We welcome the review of the Non-Concessional Borrowing Policy and the creation of the new Sustainable Development Finance Policy (SDFP) in an effort to enhance incentives for countries to improve their debt management and transparency policies. Given IDA’s central position as the largest source of concessional development finance, and its contribution to achieving important development goals, we remain committed to supporting IDA. We also encourage emerging donors to recognize their increased responsibility to help the poorest countries.
Enhancing the Accountability of the World Bank Group
The United States has long been a strong advocate of independent accountability mechanisms, including pushing for the creation of the World Bank’s Inspection Panel in the early 1990s. The Inspection Panel and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) Compliance Advisor Ombudsman (CAO) help ensure accountability of the World Bank Group’s projects, improve development effectiveness, and provide a voice for those who World Bank Group projects may negatively impact. The World Bank Group has traditionally been a leader on accountability issues. However, as other multilateral development banks have evolved, and the World Bank has become increasingly active in more complicated and fragile environments, the accountability processes need to keep pace. We support providing the Inspection Panel with a complete set of tools, including monitoring and dispute resolution, so that it can provide appropriate solutions to problems. The IFC’s accountability system also faces important challenges, and we look forward to an external review to aid us in strengthening the IFC’s accountability system as a whole. The CAO and the Inspection Panel should be adequately resourced, proportionate to the risks and to the demands they face.
Transforming the World Bank Group
We look forward to continued progress implementing the capital package reforms to enhance the World Bank Group’s focus on its core mission of reducing poverty and promoting shared growth. We welcome the development of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) financial model, including establishment of a capital buffer, to ensure the sustainability of the capital package. We reiterate the importance of shifting resources towards poorer countries. We expect to see clear elaboration of how the World Bank Group will help move borrowers with per capita incomes above the IBRD graduation discussion threshold along the path to graduation in upcoming country partnership frameworks for those countries, especially those with significant access to other sources of development financing. We welcome the World Bank Group’s continued restraint over budget and salary growth. The United States remains supportive of the capital package, and we are committed to securing the necessary legislative approvals for both the IBRD and IFC.
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ORGANISMS
GOVERNMENT
IMF. OCTOBER 18, 2019. Reform Doesn’t Have to Cost Votes
By Davide Furceri, Jonathan D. Ostry, and Chris Papageorgiou
Economic reforms are often painful in the short term and hence unpopular, but does that mean reform-minded leaders always pay a price at the ballot box? Not necessarily, we learned in our analysis of structural reforms and election outcomes in 66 countries.
The question is timely, because the economic policy agenda in both advanced and developing economies is increasingly focused on structural reforms, amid persistently weak medium-term growth and limited fiscal space in many countries.
Policies that change the way governments work—known as structural reforms—range from reducing regulatory barriers to competition and opening to trade and financial flows to increasing labor market flexibility. They are motivated by objectives that include raising productivity, investment, and employment and making the economy more resilient to shocks.
While there has been broad agreement on the economic benefits of structural reforms, the political impact is less settled. This is because reforms may generate gains for society as a whole only in the longer term while inflicting short-term pain on some sectors. Those affected may be highly vocal and well organized. When this happens, politicians may hold back on reforms for fear they will be penalized at the ballot box.
Reforms are best implemented when economic conditions are favorable.
Our new research suggests that electoral costs associated with structural reforms can be avoided, or at least substantially lessened, if political considerations are factored into policy design. A key ingredient to make structural reforms work is strong ownership and enhanced dialogue with business and civil society.
Tracking reform progress and electoral outcomes
We studied the economic and regulatory environment in 90 advanced and developing economies, focusing on indicators such as interest rate and credit controls, entry barriers, restrictions on external payments and receipts, trade tariffs, and employment protection, to name a few. Our data covers 1973–2014. We then examined electoral outcomes for each country in our study with fully democratic and open elections.
Reforms don’t always mean political risk
Our key finding based on 66 democratic countries is that, while on average reforms are associated with electoral costs, specific effects depend not only on the type of reform, but also on when in the electoral cycle it is implemented.
Specifically, reforms are generally benign or even favorable politically when implemented swiftly after elections so that governments can reap the rewards from the medium-term economic gains. Electoral risks are heightened when governments delay and enact reforms on the eve of an election, given short-term dislocation effects often wrought by reforms.
For example, a major reform just before an election costs the government coalition an average 3 percentage points in its share of the vote. By “major” reform, we mean reforms on the scale of those implemented in New Zealand in the mid-1980s and early 1990s, which included opening up to trade and financial flows, removing controls on interest rates, and reducing barriers to competition.
Because the effect of reforms tends to be magnified when growth is strong and because voters may not be able to distinguish between the effects of reform and the results of underlying economic conditions, reforms do not seem to lead to political costs when enacted at times of robust economic activity. In contrast, reforms are more challenging politically under weak economic conditions.
Even when economic conditions are difficult, though, governments may be able to implement reforms without an electoral penalty. For example, the cases of Spain in 1979 and Peru in 1995 show that crisis periods often present unique reform opportunities that do not necessarily incur political costs. What it takes is strong ownership by leaders to build consensus in society that reform with stabilization is unavoidable. In both cases, new governments instituted reforms during periods of slowing growth and high inflation and were returned to office with solid shares of the vote.
Finally, not all reforms are equal from an electoral perspective. The data suggest that those that engender increased income inequality—notably financial sector deregulation (such as banking sector privatization and removing controls on credit and interest rates) and opening to financial flows under some conditions—can exact a higher cost at election time.
Making the case for reform
There is a pressing need and strong case for well-designed, appropriately timed, and carefully implemented structural reforms. This is especially true in emerging market and developing economies, where deregulation has stalled in recent years. A major push for structural reform would mean significant output gains in the medium term in both advanced and developing economies.
But experience with past reforms highlights the need for careful design and prioritization based on good communication and transparency to ensure broad-based support and alleviate the effect on those who will be most directly impacted―often the vulnerable groups in society.
Three lessons from our analysis
First, governments should act swiftly following an electoral victory to carry out reforms during their political honeymoon period.
Second, reforms are best implemented when economic conditions are favorable—that is, governments should “repair the roof when the sun is shining.”
Third, policymakers should factor in any harm reforms may have on income distribution and take well-communicated upfront steps to offset such side effects. Strong social safety nets and active labor market programs that help displaced workers find new jobs can help in this regard, given that reforms often mean simultaneous job creation and destruction.
Strong ownership by all stakeholders of the reform agenda, enhanced through dialogue to garner the support of business and civil society is key, especially when economic conditions are tough.
FULL DOCUMENT: https://blogs.imf.org/2019/10/18/reform-doesnt-have-to-cost-votes/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery
AMÉRICA LATINA
FMI. 18/10/2019. Conferencia de Prensa con el Director del Departamento del Hemisferio Occidental del FMI
En la conferencia de prensa celebrada durante las Reuniones Anuales de 2019 del FMI y el Banco Mundial, el director del departamento del hemisferio occidental del FMI, Alejandro Werner, se refiere a los desafíos fundamentales que las economías de América Latina y el Caribe enfrentan, y destaca las prioridades de política económica que ayudarán afianzar las perspectivas de crecimiento a más largo plazo.
VIDEO: https://youtu.be/bCQrheNoWBM
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ECONOMIA BRASILEIRA / BRAZIL ECONOMICS
BRICS
PR. 18/10/2019. BRICS. Crime organizado, contraterrorismo e segurança cibernética foram temas de debate. Encontro sobre Segurança Nacional foi realizado em Brasília nos dias 17 e 18. Este ano, o Brasil exerce a presidência pro tempore do Brics
IX Reunião de Assessores de Segurança Nacional do BRICS Foto: Carolina Antunes/PR
Nos dias 17 e 18 de outubro, os assessores de Segurança Nacional do Brics, formado por Brasil, Rússia, Índia, China e África do Sul, reuniram-se no Palácio do Planalto. O ministro do Gabinete de Segurança Institucional, General Heleno, que coordenou o encontro, destacou que os cinco países possuem preocupações muito semelhantes.
"Nós tratamos, sobretudo, de crime organizado, de contra terrorismo, de segurança cibernética, de futuros arranjamentos sobre a política espacial e até a política nuclear. Então, foi um encontro que nos trouxe a grata surpresa de descobrir que este Brics funcionou como nós não esperávamos."E complementou. "Os países são muito diferentes entre si, mas tivemos a vantagem das delegações serem muito participativas."
IX Reunião de Assessores de Segurança Nacional do BRICS Foto: Marcos Corrêa/PR
No final do segundo dia de reuniões, o presidente da República, Jair Bolsonaro, recebeu os chefes das delegações e ressaltou que agendas dos países estão sintonizadas no que diz respeito ao combate ao terrorismo e ao crime organizado. "Esses dois dias de trabalho foram marcados pela alta qualidade técnica, o nível de colaboração entre os países certamente nos engrandece."
Bolsonaro também citou sua viagem na próxima semana, quando visitará, entre outros países, a China. "Estou muito ansioso, tenho certeza que será uma viagem coroada de sucesso para os nossos povos."
Debates
Durante esses dois dias, as delegações realizaram reuniões bilaterais e participaram de plenária para debater os resultados dos grupos de trabalho sobre contraterrorismo e segurança no uso das tecnologias da informação e comunicação.
Além do general Heleno, participaram como chefes de delegação, conhecidos na nomenclatura do BRICS como National Security Advisors (NSAs), o general Nikolay Patrushev, secretário do Conselho de Segurança da Federação Russa; Ajit Doval, conselheiro de Segurança Nacional do Primeiro-Ministro da Índia; Yang Jiechi, membro do Departamento Político e Diretor da Seção da Comissão Central de Relações Exteriores do Partido Comunista da China, e Zizi Kodwa, vice-ministro de Estado e Segurança da África do Sul.
IX Reunião de Assessores de Segurança Nacional do BRICS Foto: Marcos Corrêa/PR
Além de revisar os resultados alcançados ao longo de 2019, este evento teve como objetivo preparar a Cúpula dos Chefes de Estado e Governo do BRICS, a ser realizada, sob coordenação do Ministério das Relações Exteriores, nos próximos dias 13 e 14 de novembro, também em Brasília.
MEconomia. 18/10/2019. Comércio exterior. Brasil preside reunião dos cinco países do Brics em Washington. Expansão do Novo Banco de Desenvolvimento, acesso ao suporte e aceleração do comércio entre os países são temas prioritários de trabalho do Brics
O secretário especial de Comércio Exterior e Assuntos Internacionais do Ministério da Economia, Marcos Troyjo, e o presidente do Banco Central do Brasil, Roberto Campos Neto, presidiram nesta quinta-feira (17/10), em Washington, nos Estados Unidos, a reunião dos ministros da Economia e presidentes dos Bancos Centrais dos países do Brics – grupo formado por Brasil, Rússia, Índia, China e África do Sul.
A pauta do encontro incluiu três temas que são prioridade na agenda de trabalho do Brics sob a presidência do Brasil em 2019: a expansão do número de membros do Novo Banco de Desenvolvimento (NDB), ampliando sua atuação para além dos Brics; melhoria da efetividade do acesso ao suporte oferecido pelo NDB na preparação de projetos estruturados de investimento; e o avanço da implementação, no âmbito do Brics, do Programa de Operadores Econômicos Autorizados (OEA), que permitirá trâmite mais célere dos fluxos de comércio entre as aduanas dos cinco países.
Melhorias no comércio
Os principais benefícios para as empresas exportadoras ou importadoras, a partir do programa de operadores, incluem a diminuição do tempo de entrega em transações comerciais internacionais; a redução de custos com logística, pois a aduana levaria menos tempo para realizar o despacho; menos burocracia; melhoria da competitividade dos produtos nacionais; e maior integração das empresas brasileiras com cadeias globais de valor.
Esses temas serão aprofundados durante a Cúpula do Brics, em novembro, em Brasília (DF). Os trabalhos do agrupamento continuarão, no próximo ano, sob a presidência da Rússia.
A comitiva brasileira que está em Washington também participa das reuniões anuais do Fundo Monetário Internacional (FMI) e do Banco Mundial (BM) até sábado (19/10). Os encontros reúnem ministros de Finanças, presidentes de Bancos Centrais e outras autoridades para discutir questões econômicas e financeiras de interesse internacional.
Também compõem a comitiva brasileira o secretário de Assuntos Econômicos Internacionais do Ministério da Economia, Erivaldo Gomes; a diretora de Assuntos Internacionais do BC, Fernanda Nechio; e o secretário executivo da Câmara Executiva do Comércio Exterior (Camex), Carlos Pio.
BRASIL - JAPÃO
MEconomia. 18/10/2019. Internacional. Brasil e Japão reforçam parcerias e relação econômica bilateral. Representantes dos dois países destacaram pontos de convergência entre as duas economias durante encontro em São Paulo
A 13ª reunião do Comitê Conjunto em Comércio, Promoção de Investimentos e Cooperação Industrial Brasil-Japão (MOE-METI, na sigla em inglês) foi marcada pela troca de experiências entre os dois países. Representando o governo brasileiro, o secretário especial de Produtividade, Emprego e Competitividade do Ministério da Economia, Carlos da Costa, presidiu o encontro nesta quinta-feira (17/10), na Japan House, em São Paulo (SP).
Da Costa destacou a importância da imigração japonesa para o Brasil, ressaltando que os laços nipo-brasileiros trouxeram influências para o país relacionadas à cultura do trabalho e também a características que se refletem nos mais diferentes campos, como arte, agricultura, culinária, esporte, entre outros.
O vice-ministro de Assuntos Internacionais do Ministério da Economia, Comércio Exterior e Indústria do Japão (METI), Shigehiro Tanaka, representando a delegação japonesa, falou sobre os pontos de convergência entre as duas economias. Ele declarou que o Japão, como um dos membros mais antigos da Organização para Cooperação e Desenvolvimento Econômico (OCDE), apoia a acessão do Brasil à instituição.
"Apoiamos a entrada do Brasil o quanto antes na OCDE e também trabalhamos para fechar um acordo de livre comércio entre Mecorsul e Japão", disse o vice-ministro. Segundo Tanaka, o Japão já tem acordos comerciais com 17 países para incentivar o crescimento econômico por meio dos fluxos de comércio.
O encontro bilateral foi dividido em dois momentos. Na primeira sessão, as duas delegações governamentais reforçaram as parcerias que estão sendo desenvolvidas para ampliar a cooperação em diversos setores.
Em seguida, a reunião foi aberta à participação de representantes de empresas dos dois países. Durante a conversa, governo e setor privado definiram prioridades e próximos passos em direção a uma maior integração econômica entre o Brasil e o Japão.
Investimentos
A influência do Japão no Brasil também pode ser medida, segundo Carlos Da Costa, pelo volume de investimentos estrangeiros diretos registrados. De acordo com o Banco Central (BC), o Japão ocupa a 9ª posição no ranking de principais países investidores no Brasil.
O estoque de investimentos japoneses no Brasil em 2016 (última atualização) foi de aproximadamente US$ 25 bilhões. Os principais segmentos a receber os aportes foram fabricação e montagem de veículos, reboques e carrocerias; atividades anexas e auxiliares do transporte e agências de viagem; fabricação de artigos de borracha e plástico; fabricação de produtos alimentícios e bebidas, entre outros.
Incentivo
Para incentivar novos investimentos japoneses no Brasil, o secretário Carlos Da Costa falou sobre as medidas que estão sendo implementas pelo atual governo rumo à melhoria do ambiente de negócios, geração de emprego e renda, e a uma maior integração ao mercado internacional.
“A interação global é parte do DNA do novo governo”, afirmou Da Costa. "Hoje o Brasil é o país da pequena empresa e estamos trabalhando muito para melhorar a competitividade dessas empresas. Isso também será feito com a parceria do Japão", declarou.
Durante a reunião, o vice-ministro Shigehiro Tanaka informou que 70% das empresas japonesas também são de pequeno e médio portes. "Como o Japão tem recursos naturais escassos, conseguimos aumentar a produtividade das nossas empresas valorizando a educação básica", informou o vice-ministro japonês.
Ao encerrar o encontro, Carlos Da Costa afirmou que Brasil e Japão iniciam um novo ciclo juntos. “Para a próxima edição, que será realizada no Japão, espero que tenhamos desafios ainda mais ambiciosos. Falamos aqui de qualificação profissional, convergência regulatória, acordo de livre comércio, e pesquisas realizadas em conjunto. Isso é possível pois temos valores semelhantes e convergentes que são a base de uma construção compartilhada", finalizou.
Integraram a delegação brasileira o secretário de Desenvolvimento da Indústria, Comércio, Serviços e Inovação do Ministério da Economia, Gustavo Ene; o secretário-adjunto de Comércio Exterior do Ministério da Economia, Leonardo Lahud; e o subsecretário de investimento estrangeiro da Secretaria-Executiva da Câmara de Comércio Exterior do Ministério da Economia, Renato Baumann; além da presidente do Instituto Nacional de Metrologia, Qualidade e Tecnologia (Inmetro), Angela Flores; e do presidente do Instituto Nacional da Propriedade Industrial (INPI), Claudio Vilar Furtado.
INDÚSTRIA
CNI. 18/10/2019. Confiança do empresário está 5,6 pontos acima do registrado em outubro de 2018, informa pesquisa da CNI. ICEI mostra que os industriais percebem leve melhora nas condições atuais dos negócios e mantêm o otimismo em relação ao desempenho das empresas e da economia nos próximos seis meses
O Índice de Confiança do Empresário Industrial (ICEI) ficou estável em 59,3 pontos neste mês. É o terceiro mês consecutivo que o indicador permanece no mesmo patamar. “Esse resultado mostra que a confiança do empresário industrial segue elevada”, diz a pesquisa divulgada nesta sexta-feira (18), pela Confederação Nacional da Indústria (CNI).
Com a queda de apenas 0,1 ponto frente a setembro, o ICEI está 4,7 pontos acima da média histórica e 5,6 pontos superior ao registrado em outubro do ano passado. Os indicadores da pesquisa variam de zero a cem pontos. Quando estão acima dos 50 pontos mostram que os empresários estão confiantes.
A pesquisa mostra uma pequena melhora na percepção dos empresários em relação à situação atual das empresas e da economia e uma queda nas expectativas para os próximos seis meses. O indicador de condições atuais alcançou 52,1 pontos e está, pelo terceiro mês consecutivo, acima da linha divisória dos 50 pontos, que separa da avaliação favorável para a desfavorável. O indicador de expectativas subiu para 62,8 pontos e está 5 pontos acima do registrado em outubro do ano passado, mostrando que os industriais estão otimistas com o desempenho das empresas e da economia nos próximos seis meses.
“A alta da confiança veio com os avanços da reforma da Previdência na Câmara em julho. Avanços adicionais na agenda das reformas alavancarão ainda mais a confiança do empresário da indústria”, afirma o gerente-executivo de Política Econômica da CNI, Flávio Castelo Branco.
PORTE E REGIÕES - A confiança é maior entre as grandes indústrias. Nesse segmento, o ICEI ficou em 60,2 pontos. Nas médias empresas foi de 59,1 pontos e, nas pequenas, de 57,5 pontos. Nas regiões geográficas, o ICEI é maior entre os empresários do Norte (62 pontos) e do Centro-Oeste (61 pontos). No Nordeste, o indicador ficou em 59,8 pontos, no Sul em 59,2 pontos e, no Sudeste, em 57,9 pontos.
O ICEI antecipa tendências da economia. Empresários confiantes têm mais propensão a fazer investimentos, aumentar a produção e contratar trabalhadores. Tudo isso é fundamental para acelerar o crescimento da economia.
Esta edição do ICEI foi feita entre 1º e 11 de outubro, com 2.452 empresas. Dessas, 978 são pequenas, 892 são médias e 582 são grandes.
ICEI - Índice de Confiança do Empresário Industrial. Confiança da indústria se mantém estável
A confiança do empresário da indústria se manteve estável em outubro. O ICEI oscilou para 59,3 pontos, 0,1 ponto menor que o índice de setembro. Esse resultado mostra que a confiança do empresário industrial segue elevada.
DOCUMENTO: https://bucket-gw-cni-static-cms-si.s3.amazonaws.com/media/filer_public/68/50/68503685-d499-4fe7-9ed0-28fc4dd0c0d3/indicedeconfiancadoempresarioindustrial_outubro2019.pdf
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