United Arab Emirates: CLDP Completed Phase I of the 10th Annual Middle East Vis Pre-Moot
On October 20-22, in Abu Dhabi, CLDP held Phase I, which is the official launch, of the 10th Annual Middle East Vis Pre-Moot. The Vis Moot is one of the most prestigious commercial arbitration competition in the world, which is held annually in Vienna and Hong Kong. CLDP’s Middle East program is a multi-phased program aimed to prepare student participants in the areas of written and oral advocacy in order to help them...
El Salvador: CLDP and USTR Conduct Workshop on Building Effective Marketing Strategies and Practices for Salvadoran Textile Industry
On October 22-23, 2019, CLDP and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) conducted a workshop on ‘Building Effective Marketing Strategies and Practices,’ for approximately 100 government officials, academics, and industry representatives from El Salvador and Guatemala in San Salvador, El Salvador. The purpose of this workshop was to...
Saudi Arabia: CLDP Organizes Consultations on Implementing New Bankruptcy Law
From April 16-20, a delegation of 16 judges and government officials from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), headed by the Deputy Minister of Justice, participated in consultations on developing a bankruptcy system in KSA and improving the transparency and efficiency of its commercial courts.
Northern Triangle: CLDP Conducts Workshop on Public Consultation
On March 18-19, in collaboration with ITA, CBP, and USDA, CLDP conducted a trade facilitation workshop on best practices in public consultation for more than 60 government officials and private sector representatives in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Honduran government participants included representatives from Customs, the Ministry of Economic Development, the National Agri-Food Health and Safety Service, and the Health Regulation Agency. They were joined by their counterparts from Guatemalan and Salvadoran Customs as well as El Salvador’s Ministry of Economy, Office of Regulatory Improvement, and Institute of Access to Public Information. From the Honduran private sector, the Honduran Council on Private Enterprise, American Chamber of Commerce in Honduras, and the National Federation of Customs Agents participated. After opening remarks from Honduran Vice President Maria Antonia Rivera and U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Heide B. Fulton, CLDP experts presented on topics including promoting competitiveness through good regulatory practice, providing adequate notice of and meaningful opportunity to comment on proposed regulations, and rulemaking from a government agency’s perspective. Representatives from the governments of Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala as well as the Honduran private sector each had an opportunity to present their perspective and share their experience, and the workshop concluded with an interactive discussion of upcoming regulations and plans to incorporate the private sector’s perspective by conducting transparent public consultation. Enhanced public consultation in Central America will increase the quality of regulation and ultimately facilitate domestic commerce, attract foreign direct investment, and promote foreign trade, which are all key objectives of CLDP and ITA’s Customs, Border Management, and Supply Chain program in the region.
CLDP in Action
On October 23-24 in Tunis, Tunisia, CLDP held a workshop to identify potential changes to Tunisian law that would encourage increased cross-border eCommerce transactions for both exports and imports. Over 40 representatives from several government ministries, the private sector, and the NGO community discussed potential amendments to Tunisia’s eCommerce law, customs procedures, central bank currency and payment rules, and other matters. The participants offered sets of informal recommendations for further action.
ECommerce in Tunisia has not reached its full potential, although there are black market eCommerce websites. Legal changes could help Tunisian SMEs and individuals reach new markets, while also providing opportunities for US sellers.
Upcoming Programs
On December 6-7, 2019, CLDP is partnering with four universities in Burma to train law students for the Willem C. Vis Commercial Arbitration Moot competition,the preeminent commercial arbitration...
CLDP's mission is to improve the legal environment for doing business in developing and transitional countries around the globe and thereby foster greater political stability and economic opportunity for local entrepreneurs and U.S. companies alike.