26 November 2007, Geneva, Switzerland
 
The International Institute for Sustainable Development's Global Subsidies Initiative, the publishers of this newsletter, is holding a meeting to mark the release of a global analysis of investment incentives on 26 November.

The report, authored by Kenneth P. Thomas of the University of Missouri-St. Louis, examines those subsidies that are designed to attract investment from one location to another. Investment incentives are common at every level of government and in many countries, representing tens of billions of dollars globally. However, it is difficult to determine the total amount of investment incentives; data are fragmentary in most developed countries and largely unavailable in developing countries.
 
While these subsidies may promote economic growth in certain circumstances, they can also reduce economic efficiency, exacerbate income inequality, and encourage environmentally harmful economic activities.
 
The report provides a global tour of investment incentives in different countries; examines the potential impacts of these subsidies on efficiency, equity and the environment; analyzes some the policy issues related to investment incentives; and looks at attempts to discipline investment incentives. A number of case studies are also provided, including the competition to attract call centres in India, South Africa, Egypt, the Philippines, the Caribbean, Canada and the United States.
 
A meeting to discuss the findings of the report will be held at the World Meteorological Organization in Geneva on 26 November.

For more information about the meeting, please contact Chris Charles at ccharles@iisd.org.