Aspects of Brazilian Competition Policy

Este Trabalho Discute a Evolução da Defesa da Concorrência no Brasil a Partir de uma Perspectiva Histórica e Comparada. para Tanto, Primeiramente são Apresentadas as Transformações Estruturais da Economia Brasileira Assim como as Circunstâncias Internacionais que Fizeram com que a Defesa da Concorrência se Tornasse Relevante, o que Permite Fazer um Contraste com a Evolução de Outros Regimes de Concorrência. em Segundo Lugar, são Apresentados os Desafios e as Peculiaridades da Implementação da Defesa da Concorrência em uma Economia em Desenvolvimento e como Tais Desafios Foram Tratados no Caso Brasileiro. a Principal Conclusão é que as Melhores Práticas dos Países do Ocde não Podem ser Automaticamente Importadas sem a Devida Atenção Às Peculiaridades de uma Economia em Desenvolvimento.

Overview of Brazilian remote sensing activities

There are no author-identified significant results in this report

Improving Social Work in Brazil

As part of efforts to improve social work provision, INGO EveryChild commissioned Dr Andrew Bilson, Professor of Social Work at the University of Central Lancashire, UK, to complete a literature review on the role of social workers in responding to children without parental care.The literature review, published in January 2012, explores the differing approaches and functions of social work around the world, and identifies gaps and challenges in current provision. It argues that, in order to better support social services, it is first important to determine which approach should be taken in a given setting. It also argues that governments and social work service providers must carefully consider the priority functions that social workers should fulfil in order to be most effective, and the kinds of training and support that these professionals need.Following on from this literature review, Family for Every Child, together with Dr Andrew Bilson, has been working to develop a tool which aims to:build on strengths in the social work systemidentify feasible improvementsdevelop a vision for high-quality social workbuild a movement towards implementation.The tool uses an Appreciative Inquiry (AI), action-based research approach which aims to identify and build on strengths in existing social work systems. The tool is designed for use by NGOs, UN agencies or governments in order to strengthen social services provision at national or sub-national levels.Brazilian member of Family for Every Child, Terra dos homens-ABTH,is the first to test the tool, with the support of Dr Andrew Bilson. The tool was used in Brazil from March to May 2012.This report provides an overview of the main results of the investigation. It outlines the context of children without parental care, alternative care and social work in Brazil found in a literature review, desk-based research, focus groups, and in-depth interviews. We hope the findings enable a consideration of how to improve social work, and are used both to improve local practices and to promote wider changes in social work policies

Business Cycle and Macroeconomic Policy Coordination in MERCOSUR

The paper analyzes cyclical comovements in the Mercosur area differentiating idiosyncratic from common shocks. In the Mercosur (or any region for that matter) shocks can be country-specific, affecting only one country or a specific set of countries (for example, a weather-related shock, a domestic policy shock); or they can be common to the entire region (for example, a change in the conditions in international capital markets or a world recession). Propagation mechanisms, in turn, are important because a shock that was initially country-specific, originating in one country, might eventually spillover to others. We build on the unobserved component approach to decompose the Mercosur countries real GDP (seasonally adjusted) fluctuations into these three components and compare them with previous results. The main findings in the paper are: first, common factors originating in impulses stemming from changes in investor’s sentiment are relevant to explaining regional output comovements and the spillover effects between neighbors are significant. Second, volatility matters, and matters especially in the case of recent regional agreements. Supply shocks in Mercosur countries tend to be larger than in the US and European countries. Third, finance matters for both volatility and output/price dynamics. Accelerator effects may be important in explaining some features of the output/price dynamics that the standard models based on vector autoregression techniques are unable to account for..

Food Security, Food Chains and Bioenergy Challenges for a Sustainable Development Environment

Food system dynamics worldwide are under a new paradigm. Energy supply based on renewable natural resources is now a necessary solution, where agri-business can play an important role, and food systems will have to interact worldwide with new competitors for land and agriculture activity. The argument in this paper is based on the evidence that innovation and technology changes in food production (agricultural production) can offer a sustainable supply of grain and biomass, when demand behaviour is consistent and very flexible (demand elasticity above 1). The main argument is based on the hypothesis that demand behaviour is the main driver in food systems, which can be observed looking at technical and technological changes in production systems in Europe and elsewhere, such as Latin America, and more specifically Brazil. Economic surplus distribution across the food chain is another key factor for the induced innovation process to occur dynamically in food and agricultural production, based on well functioning markets such as the international markets (elastic demand for most countries). Science will face a new industry demand for solutions on the production side that are able to provide sustainability and supply increases that have to support empowerment of the primary sector to help producers capture surplus created by new technology possibilities, and “new demands”. Technological changes will occur quickly enough to avoid strong changes in prices if, and only if, producers are able to look at new opportunities with conditions (and sufficient time) to improve their business (and share on economic surplus). Institutional innovation is another key factor in the food system, and should also provide capability to create value to a set of intangible goods provided by the primary sector, giving space for a multi-functionality perspective on the primary sector activity, such as environment and sustainability considerations. The first factor to be considered is certainly the market functioning, because food production traditionally suffers from market problems, which began with the characteristics of the products, space diversity, conservation problems, and production seasonality (to mention only the most obvious). Other considerations related with the environment, and non tangible goods, such as the landscape dimension (and other dimensions on man’s relationship with nature), will continue to deserve new initiatives to improve the Quality of Life.Agribusiness, Agricultural and Food Policy, Farm Management, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Industrial Organization,

WP 83 - An overview of women’s work and employment in Brazil

*Management Summary* This report provides information on Brazil on behalf of the implementation of the DECISIONS FOR LIFE project in that country. The DECISIONS FOR LIFE project aims to raise awareness amongst young female workers about their employment opportunities and career possibilities, family building and the work-family balance. This report is part of the Inventories, to be made by the University of Amsterdam, for all 14 countries involved. It focuses on a gender analysis of work and employment. History (2.1.1). Brazil, developed as an agricultural nation, in the 1930s started to industrialize and urbanise. A military regime, lasting from 1964-’85, initially sparked an “economic miracle”, but ended up with huge inflation and foreign debts, as well as social unrest. The transition to democracy was long and painful. The country definitely stabilized and developed an internationalist approach under the administrations of president Lula (2002-2010). Governance (2.1.2). A major governance challenge is that day-to-day life is marked by considerable violence. The position of women in politics is weak. Nevertheless, the country has a vibrant women’s movement. The rewritten 1988 Constitution of Brazil and the 2003 Family Code ended legal discrimination of women, but violence against women is persistent and widespread. Prospects (2.1.3). The global economic crisis has had limited effects on Brazil’s economy. For the time being the recovery has been remarkably strong. Leading economists perceive Brazil as the country that will likely see its competitiveness most favourably affected by the crisis. The position of women also seems not to be seriously hit by the crisis. Communication (2.2). Over three of each four Brazilians are cell phone users. The country’s Internet infrastructure and marketing are well developed, and Internet coverage actually is over 35%. Radio and TV have high coverage, but newspaper circulation is low. The sectoral labour market structure (2.3). In the 2000s, especially between 2001-2004, female employment continued to grow more rapidly than male. Also, formal employment grew quicker than informal labour. In 2007, employees made up 70% of the labour force. The official unemployment rate fluctuates between 8-9%, but female unemployment remains about 5%points higher than males. Unemployment of female 15-29-year-olds is with 18-19% considerable. Legislation (2.4.1). Brazil has ratified the core ILO Labour Conventions except No. 87, on the freedom of association, leading to criticism of ITUC and ILO. The CLT of 1943 still forms the basis of labour legislation. Labour relations and wage-setting (2.4.2). In the 2000s, union strength has remained stable. For 2007, union density was counted at 17.7% of the working population, and women’s density rate may be estimated at 15-16%. Since 2002, a number of social dialogue institutions and processes have been set up. The statutory minimum wage (2.5.1). The Lula government has substantially increased the statutory minimum wage, lifting the real value with about 45%. Negative employment effects can hardly be traced, whereas the increases have contributed to a less uneven income distribution. Poverty (2.5.2). For 2006, it has been estimated that 18.3% of the Brazilian population lived below the poverty line of USD 2 a day. Both income inequality and poverty in Brazil remain high, but they have been declining in recent years. Quite recently income inequality may even have fallen spectacularly. In spite of signs of smaller urban-rural differences, like in school enrollment rates, rural poverty remains deep and widespread. Population and fertility (2.6.1). Current population growth rate is estimated at 1.2% per year, and is still slowing down. With 2.2 children per woman, the total fertility rate is rather low; birth control is widespread. The decline of the adolescent fertility rate seems to have ended; about one quarter of female 18-19-year-olds is mother. Brazil is highly urbanised, with 85% of the population living in urban areas. Health (2.6.2). In 2007, about 730,000 Brazilians or nearly 0.4% lived with HIV. Since 1998 the death rate from AIDS has steadily declined: an achievement attributed to the country’s treatment policies. The country’s health disparities are still considerable. Women’s labour market share (2.6.3). The overall labour partication rate of the 15-64 of age is 72%, but only 63% for women. The 2007 women’s share in the labour force was largest in households (98%), education (78%), and health and social work (77%). The female share was considerable in finance (49%), bur relatively low in commerce (40%), other business (33%), and public administration (38%). There were female majorities among professionals as well as clerks (both 59%), service and sales workers (58%), but also in elementary occupations (55%). Agriculture (2.6.4). The majority of farms is very small, and many produce at subsistence level. Under the prevailing conditions it is unlikely that many young women living in urban areas and trying to make a career can rely on a “fall-back scenario” in which they can go back to their families living from agriculture. Mining and manufacturing (2.6.5). In 2007 the single largest industry employing women was apparel. Female employment in more sophisticated manufacturing is relatively small, also in export industries. Commerce (2.6.6). The large majority of commerce employees is employed in small companies with less than 500 employees, over half operating in the informal economy. Between 1995-2007 employment in commerce doubled, and prospects for further growth are good. Services (2.6.7). Continued employment growth may be expected in tourism; the financial sector, and real estate and other business. This growth may offer good employment opportunities for women working at the three highest occupational levels and as clerks. Government (2.6.8). Past decisions on expansion of the public service and appointing higher-ranked public officers seem to have favoured men. Adoption of equal opportunities legislation will contribute to the entry of many (young) women in public service. Literacy (2.7.1). The adult literacy rate –those age 15 and over that can read and write—was in 2007 exactly 90%, with the female rate a fraction higher. The youth (15-24-year-olds) literacy rate was nearly 98%, with the rate of girls 1.5%point higher. Education of girls and young women (2.7.2). Combined gross enrollment in education was in 2006 overall 87%. Net enrollment in primary education of the 6-14-year-olds was in 2007 97%, with enrollment for girls a fraction higher than for boys. Though the enrollment rate for the 15-19-year-olds increased to 80% in 2005, school attendance is much lower. For girls, young motherhood, poverty and poor quality of public education are factors influencing school attendance negatively. In 2006, 8% of the 18-year-olds was enrolled in tertiary education, increasing to 15% among the 22-year-olds. Female participation in tertiary education exceeds male participation by far. Female skill levels (2.7.3). The average level of education completed of women is considerably higher than that of men. At the two lowest skill levels 47% of all male workers could be found against 37% of all females. At the highest (tertiary) level women had a clear advantage, with a 12% share against 7% for men. The average female skill rating is 3.04, against a male average of 2.73. As for Brazil, about 4.3 million girls and young women can be estimated to belong to the DECISION FOR LIFE target group, of which about 3 million in paid employment and the others as self-employed or contributing family workers. Wages (2.8.1). Though slightly decreasing, the gender pay gap is still quite large. Based on WageIndicator data, for 2007-08 the average gender pay gap in Brazil was calculated at 38.5%, in spite of the average higher skill level of the female labour force. The gender pay gap was about the same in the private and public sectors. Discriminatory practices in wage formation continue to have a major impact on women’s pay. Working conditions (2.8.2). In 2005, 36% of all employees usually worked over 44 hours. Average working weeks are rather long. In 2007, usual working hours of women were notably long in manufacturing (average 42.3 hours weekly), wholesale and retail (43.2 hours), and restaurants and hotels (43.7 hours).

Payments for Ecosystem Services: Legal and Institutional Frameworks

Analysis and engagement with partners working on ecosystem services transactions, policies and laws over the past 10 years have demonstrated a clear need to better understand the legal and institutional frameworks that have the potential to promote or hinder the development of payments for ecosystem services (PES) schemes, as well as the complex legal considerations that affect ecosystem services projects. In response, the IUCN Environmental Law Centre and The Katoomba Group have worked on a joint initiative to analyze the legal and institutional frameworks of water-related PES schemes and projects in four Andean countries: South America (Northeastern)-Brazil; Bolivia, Colombia and Peru. It has resulted in this report. Country-based analysts with experience in ecosystem services transactions have developed country and project assessments to define existing and recommend future regulatory and institutional frameworks that enable equitable and long-lasting ecosystem services transactions. Partners from North America (Central America)-Costa Rica; North America-Mexico; Ecuador and the North America-United States provided feedback on the assessments. The country assessments yielded lessons which were used to develop a set of recommendations on legal frameworks, property rights, enabling institutions, PES contracts, and governance issues supporting the future development of PES schemes