The Global Competitiveness Report 2015-2016

The World Economic Forum (WEF) is a Swiss nonprofit foundation whose mission is "improving the state of the world by engaging business, political, academic, and other leaders of society to shape global, regional, and industry agendas". The WEF publishes a Global Competitiveness Report every year since 2004. In this report countries are ranked based on the Global Competitiveness Index.

"The Global Competitiveness Report 2015-2016 assesses the competitiveness landscape of 140 economies, providing insight into the drivers of their productivity and prosperity. The Report series remains the most comprehensive assessment of national competitiveness worldwide".

According to the Global Competitiveness Index 2015–2016 countries rank as it follows:

1. Switzerland

2. Singapore

3. Unites States

4. Germany

5. Netherlands

6. Japan

7. Hong Kong SAR

8. Finland

9. Sweden

10. United Kigdom

11. Norway

12. Denmark

13. Canada

14. Qatar

15. Taiwan, China

16. New Zealand

17. UAE

18. Malaysia

19. Belgium

20. Luxembourg


Source:
http://reports.weforum.org/global-competitiveness-report-2015-2016/report-highlights/

Agricultural Exports May Help Brazil Surpass Economic Crisis

A Brazilian diplomat who works with the World Trade Organization affirms that it is possible to increase the market for Brazilian products overseas if the country is able to remove trade barriers. He also claims that breaking the barriers could help Brazil surpass its economic crisis faster.

The same idea is expressed by Celso de Tarso Pereira during the fourth edition of the Agriculture Forum of South America: “We have competitive products, produced without subsidies, they should have unimpeded access in key markets”. Pereira explains that the main challenge for Brazilian exporters are enormous restrictions, quotas and tariffs. Apart from quotas and tariffs there are often restrictions by foreign buyers on Brazilian agricultural products, under the pretext that they do not follow international health standards.

In order to resolve this problem, Pereira proposes direct negotiations with potential importers, ‘to convince them that Brazilian products meet international health standards’.

The Brazilian government believes that by removing barriers and increasing agricultural exports, Brazil could surpass its economic crisis in a shorter time. According to the International Relations Secretary, at the Ministry of Agriculture, the government aims to increase the Brazilian agribusiness participation in world trade from the current 6.9% to 10%.