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UNCTAD has just released the latest issue of its Investment Policy Monitor
.
Thirty three countries took 49 investment policy measures in the review 
period (October 2016 ? February 2017). Most of them improved entry 
conditions or promoted and facilitated foreign investment, with developing 
countries and transition economies taking the lead. New foreign 
investment-related regulations or restrictions were mainly based on 
strategic or national security considerations.
Among the notable policy measures are the issuance of a comprehensive 
circular to attract foreign investment in China and the introduction of 
new public-private partnership laws in Argentina and Romania. Another 
important feature was new privatisation measures in France, Greece, 
Republic of Korea, the Netherlands and the Russian Federation. Indonesia 
introduced a foreign ownership limit on electronic payment service firms, 
and Canada issued Guidelines on the National Security Review of 
Investments.
Foreign investment may be negatively affected by policies in other areas, 
such as protectionist trade policies, or by restrictive administrative 
decisions of host countries in respect of individual investment projects. 
This has led to concerns about a rise in investment protectionism.
Regarding international investment policies, countries continued to sign 
and negotiate new International investment agreements (IIAs), bringing the 
total number to over 3,330. Provisions in new IIAs include elements 
ensuring the parties' right to regulate in the public interest, clarifying 
certain clauses or addressing investor responsibility.
During the reporting period, work to establish a multilateral court for 
settling investment disputes intensified, with exploratory discussions 
driven by Canada and the European Commission. Discussions on investment 
facilitation to fill the systemic gap in IIAs gained further traction. 
UNCTAD's Trade and Development Board requested the Secretariat to widely 
disseminate the organization's Global Action Menu for Investment 
Facilitation, including through its technical assistance.

James Zhan
Director, Investment and Enterprise
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
unctad.org/wir 
investmentpolicyhub.unctad.org


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