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Sealing the deal on fakes in Nigeria
By Julian Harris | Sunday, December 27, 2009

Drug manufacturers should disregard profit and instil security seals on products to help patients identify fakes--this is the message from head of Nigeria's Onitsha Patent and Proprietary Medicine Dealers Union, ahead of a meeting on the topic.

EU ministers fail to give shoe tax the boot
By Timothy Cox | Tuesday, December 22, 2009

After months of flip-flopping, EU Ministers have today shamefully voted to extend the  tariffs of up to 16.5 per cent imposed upon Chinese and Vietnamese shoe imports since 2006.  The decision condemns cash-strapped European consumers and struggling retailers to higher footwear prices for a further 15 months.

Why Chinese trade is good news for Africa
By Timothy Cox | Friday, December 11, 2009

David Pilling’s article in today’s FT offers an insightful analysis on the benefits for African of Chinese investment. He reveals how China treats Africa as any other business partner- where there is mutual benefit they trade, where there isn’t they don’t.

The war on trade is starting to hurt
By Timothy Cox | Friday, December 11, 2009

It emerged today that China is slapping an import tariff on certain steel goods imported from the U.S. and Russia. This is the latest blow for trade in a series of tit for tat disputes between China and the U.S.

Developing countries must be wary of green protectionism
By Timothy Cox | Thursday, December 10, 2009

An article in China View today demonstrates the very real danger of rising green protectionism. Proposals to introduce carbon taxes and impose tariffs upon imports from developing countries, which do not cap their carbon emissions, will hurt developing countries trying to trade their way out of poverty.

COP-15: Julian Morris blogs for Financial Times
By Julian Morris | Monday, December 7, 2009

FT Energy Source asks: What do you think the impact will be of US President Barack Obama’s decision to attend the summit at the end of the conference rather than the early stages?

Julian Morris responds:

Why should Africans pay more?
By Timothy Cox | Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Apparently, cement prices in East Africa “need” to be kept artificially high to “protect” cement manufacturers in the East African Community from cheaper imports, or so say the East African Business Council (EABC).

Yes, we have no more dumb trade policies on bananas! (sort of)
By Alec van Gelder | Wednesday, December 2, 2009

The European Union has finally been forced to lower the tariff on bananas which has been unfairly discriminating against producers in Latin America.

A boost for intra-African trade?
By Timothy Cox | Wednesday, December 2, 2009

The formation of the EAC common market brings new hope for boosting intra-African trade.

Gotcha!
By Julian Harris | Wednesday, December 2, 2009

More developments in the Argentinian fake medicines scandal which, in case you haven't been reading, has been linked to key supporters of the President.

Bad science and fire-darkened kitchen utensils
By Julian Harris | Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Indian industry website Pharmabiz today reports that "health ministry sources" are accusing IPN of "unscientifically" constructing reports on fake medicines--while promoting a new government survey that claims just 0.04% of Indian drugs are fakes.

Let us examine the accusations, whoever they come from:

"Envy of the world" shown up again
By Julian Harris | Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Britain's state-run National Health Service (NHS) doesn't fare too well in comparisons of cancer survival rates.  Every year studies show far more deaths under the NHS's watch than in countries of comparable wealth.  "20% higher than Europe" reported a recent headline, while new cancer drugs continue to be rationed, often considered "not cost effective".