ABSTRACT
Conducting virtual audits, conducting effective virtual training, and enhancing communications with suppliers to ensure an uninterrupted supply chain are among the changes implemented to maintain operations, stay compliant, and continue manufacturing medically necessary products. The necessity for virtual audits was to allow companies and regulators to continue to evaluate the compliance stature of manufacturers while respecting stay-at-home and social distancing requirements that prevented in-person site audits. Some of these venues are free, and some require a registration fee. supply chain quality Enhanced communication with suppliers to ensure an uninterrupted supply chain has also become a priority during the pandemic.
ABSTRACT
AstraZeneca has potentially taken poll position in the race to develop a novel coronavirus vaccine, but will AZD1222 be ready in 2020? "The interim Phase I/II data for our coronavirus vaccine shows that the vaccine did not lead to any unexpected reactions and had a similar safety profile to previous vaccines of this type," said Professor Andrew Pollard, chief investigator of the Oxford Vaccine Trial at Oxford University and co-author of the trial, in a press release (1). [...]AstraZeneca and the European Commission recently concluded an agreement for the supply of up to 400 million doses (3), which adds to a prior arrangement the company had formed with the Inclusive Vaccines Alliance (4).
ABSTRACT
The UK government is taking advantage of the new regulatory flexibility, afforded by Brexit, to boost the country's competitiveness in pharma On 1 Jan. 2021, the United Kingdom formally left the European Union to become a third country and no longer a member of the Union's single market and customs union. The UK has, for example, decided to draw up its own version of the EU chemicals legislation-called REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals)-which sets technical standards for chemical ingredients for medicines (1). Because the UK is a separate legal entity-a third country-the UK's excipient producers and their raw material suppliers have started to be concerned about procedures like customs declarations and rules of origin. [...]by 18 Feb. 2021 the UK had vaccinated 26% of its population versus 8% in Denmark-the leading EU country for vaccines availability-6% in Germany, and 5% in France (6). NICE needs to change Industry believes that the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), the government's health technology assessment (HTA) body, is being too restrictive with its evaluation of digitalization products, which ultimately sets the price paid by the government for them (9).
ABSTRACT
This volume presents a broad sweep of modern economic history underpinning aid, trade, development and globalization in the last half century and the salient challenges facing the global community today. The author draws on his long years as an academic and development practitioner to recommend what needs to be done to cope with the backsliding of the fight against global poverty, fractured geopolitics and the threats to the multilateral economic order. The new, revised edition analyses how unilateralism, rising protectionism and the Covid-19 pandemic seriously threaten global sustainable development. It concludes with recommendations on the policy changes needed to make globalization more equitable and development more sustainable. This book will be of interest to researchers and students of economic development and economic history, as well as all those concerned about global inequality and sustainability. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2022.
ABSTRACT
[...]of the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, global arbitration has adapted to a 'new normal'. Arbitration trends A number of trends are emerging with respect to life sciences disputes that are anticipated to continue for the foreseeable future, including in particular: * A greater number of disputes arising out of global supply chain disruptions, and use of the pandemic as a defence to contractual non-performance * An increase in disputes over earn-out clauses and pre-closing covenants in M&A transactions * A rise in investor-state claims brought by investors against states for breach of international investment protection agreements * More insolvent parties in arbitrations, which pose particular challenges * An increase in third-party funding of significant claims in international arbitration * The continued use of efficient procedures by arbitral tribunals, including paperless proceedings and remote hearings. Earn-out arrangements are usually intended to bridge the gap between diverging valuations of the target company by the buyer and the seller at the time of closing-in addition to the upfront purchase price, the seller of a business receives further payouts if and when the target company achieves certain agreed performance targets over an agreed period of time after closing. [...]the seller trades the certainty of a lower upfront payment for a potential higher pay-out in the future. [...]party funding of claims Third-party funding of significant claims is now a common feature in international arbitration and has become available in jurisdictions that previously were subject to regulatory restrictions.
ABSTRACT
Among the lessons learned from the pandemic response are changed perceptions within the industry regarding flex capacity, risk management, supply chain, and inventory control, according to Eric Langer, managing partner at BioPlan Associates. [...]infectious disease drugs have already overtaken perpetual leader oncology as the year's top therapy area for contract manufacturing service agreements, since many of these vaccine-developer companies are small and lack manufacturing capabilities. The expansion will include new suites for the development and clinical manufacturing of drug product intermediates and drug products using spray-drying, hot-melt extrusion, and melt-spray-congeal processing and CGMP suites for early-phase CGMP manufacturing featuring added storage, gowning, and a customer in-plant viewing corridor (4).
ABSTRACT
Throughout 2020, according to the Spanish Ministry of Home Office, 23,023 irregular migrants reached the coasts of the Canary Islands in Spain, 757% more than the previous year. The migrants left from the coasts of West Africa, mainly from Senegal, trying to reach the nearest European Union (EU) territory. Apart from the migrants who arrived in the Canary Islands, nearly 1,500 stayed on the way, and 594 of them died drowned or of dehydration. Behind this migratory tragedy, there is a combination of factors, with three essential ones operating synergistically: climate change, which is affecting agriculture, fishing and exacerbating coastal erosion;overfishing, which is depleting regional fisheries;and the COVID-19 pandemic, which, in addition to the victims caused, has left the region without tourism, and with an economy in recession. This paper reviews these causal factors, highlighting his influence on migration and the responsibility of migrants receiving countries – especially those in the EU – for the causes of migration.
ABSTRACT
This chapter addresses developments in EU tax policy with an emphasis on processes for decision-making. It explores the change in views on tax competition and how this has led to restrictions in member states' ability to design their own tax systems. The chapter highlights the impetus towards increased federalism entailed by the EU policies to recover from COVID-19 and to promote a green and digital transition for the EU economy. The chapter discusses how the Commission has worked to change the EU decision processes in the field of taxes from unanimity to qualified majority voting. The chapter concludes that the EU must show that it can promote economic growth and efficiency in the tax systems before member states will have enough confidence to entrust more decision-making in tax matters to the EU. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2023.
ABSTRACT
PurposeThis study aims to find the impact of the trade war between the USA and China on Asian economies. Apart from macroeconomic variables associated with trade, this study explicitly creates a trade war scenario and trade war participant dummies. Using the neural network multilayer perceptron, this study checks for the causal linkages between the predictors and target output for the panel of Asian economies and the USA.Design/methodology/approachA conceptual model of the after effects of trade war in a quadrant is developed. Variables related to trade and tariffs are included in the study for a panel of 19 Asian economies. The feedforward structure of neural network analysis is used to identify strong and weak predictors of trade war.FindingsThe hidden layers of the multilayer perceptron reveal the inconsistency in linkages for the predictors' services exports, tariff measures, anti-dumping measures, trade war scenario dummy with gross domestic product. The findings suggest that to curtail the impact of the trade war on Asian economies, predictors with neural evidence must be paid due weightage in policy determination and trade agreements.Originality/valueThe study applies a novel and little explored AI/ML technique of Neural Network analysis with training of 70% observations. The paper will provide opportunity for other researchers to explore techniques of AI/ML in trade studies.
ABSTRACT
National director hospital and specialist services Fionnagh Dougan said no decision has been made "on whether winter payments will be made as part of Te whatu Ora's winter staffing arrangements", in response to enquiries by Kaitiaki. Data provided to Kaitiaki, after a complaint to the Ombudsman, showed the demand for additional shifts did not evaporate, as predicted. Mccallan said winter, and related illnesses, had always increased pressure on health services - but it had just got a lot worse as a result of the crisis of short-staffing.
ABSTRACT
This paper explores editorials and opinion columns published in four Chilean mainstream newspapers and analyzes how China is represented within the context of Chinese economic advances in the region and the contextual narratives surrounding bilateral relations. Through a content analysis of editorials and opinion pieces of elite media between 2018 and 2021, this study allows an understanding of how China and its growing influence are perceived locally. Ultimately, despite an overall alignment with China's public diplomacy centered around an economiccommercial dimension, there are still nuances in how China is represented in Chilean op-eds.
ABSTRACT
This study investigates how article downloads from ScienceDirect changed after Temple University Libraries downsized its all-inclusive Elsevier big deal bundle to a selective custom package. After the libraries lost current-year access to nearly half of Elsevier's active journals, the total downloads from Elsevier journals declined by 16.2 percent over three years. Combined use of still-subscribed and open access journals fell 10.6 percent in the same three years, suggesting that the drop in total use is due not only to the loss of journals but also to factors that would affect the remaining journals, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and a slight decrease in enrollment. Patrons may have substituted articles from still-subscribed and open access journals for those that were canceled, though the data are not conclusive. Reliance on open access appears to have increased.
ABSTRACT
PurposeRising greenhouse gases have contributed to global warming above the pre-industrial levels with detrimental effects on world climatic patterns. Extreme weather has inflicted drastic impacts, including loss of lives and livelihoods and economic disruption. However, collective international cooperation in adopting greenhouse gas emission mitigating measures can translate into long-run beneficial effects of improving environmental quality. This study examines if international environmental cooperation among the world's top ten polluters can reduce production side emissions.Design/methodology/approachThe panel estimation procedure was applied to data from ten top polluting countries from 2000 to 2019.FindingsThe results revealed a statistically significant inverse association between a nation's commitments to international environmental treaties and carbon dioxide emissions. Other than confirming the environmental Kuznets curve effect, industrial intensification, international trade and law rule are other strong correlations of carbon dioxide emissions.Research limitations/implicationsThe main policy implication is the urgency for the leaders of the world's top ten polluters to actively cooperate in developing and implementing new production-side carbon emission measures as well as the implementation and enforcement of existing international treaties to minimize further environmental damage and let the countries in the lower ranks of carbon emissions to enjoy the long-run benefits of the decarbonized world.Originality/valueThis study makes a new contribution to the environmental research literature by unfolding how collective global cooperation on environmental challenges can help reduce environmental damage in a coherent analytical framework.Peer reviewThe peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-09-2022-0598
ABSTRACT
This paper attempts to elucidate Vietnam's strategies and policies for fostering digital transformation. Vietnam has made some progress in the digital transformation of its economy but there are challenges to achieving further progress. Business enterprises struggle to adopt digital technologies due to technical, financial and regulatory constraints. These constraints include conversion costs, internal infrastructure resources, data leakages and ineffective regulations. The government has provided support for the digital transformation of enterprises through improvements in its å framework for the digital economy, promotion of science and technology, taxation regime and SME assistance. The government should undertake further legal reforms to support digital transformation, strengthen digital human resources and enhance e-government capabilities.
ABSTRACT
Consumption and production of digital goods and services have increased in Indonesia for the past ten years. A fast-growing e-commerce sector and an increase in digital payments supported the strong growth of the digital economy. Although Internet and digital transactions emerged in the late 1980s, the regulatory framework governing digital activities was only introduced in 2008 with the enactment of the Law on Electronic Information and Transactions. The government of Indonesia has relaxed foreign capital restrictions and provided fiscal incentives for digital businesses. Indonesia has also made commitments related to digital business in recent trade agreements in terms of the mutual recognition of consumer protection and cross-border data transfer. To encourage the use of ICT in public service, Indonesia introduced the 100 Smart City programme and has begun the implementation of electronic-based public service and operation (e-government). The government accelerated digital transformation during the COVID-19 pandemic by increasing the budget allocations for ICT in 2020 and 2021. To further accelerate digital transformation, the government needs to focus on digital literacy, nationwide integrated infrastructure, regulatory and institutional mechanisms and the innovation ecosystem.
ABSTRACT
Over the past five years, development of telemedicine was accompanied by many changes. Despite the need for remote medical care, development of telemedicine technologies was not uniformly intensive, both in different countries and in regions of a single state (such as Russia). The purpose of the study is to evaluate dynamics of volume of medical care and number of types of services using telemedicine technologies in regions of the Russian Federation. The retrospective analysis was applied to data retrieved from the Form of the Federal Statistical Observation â 30 of 2019-2021, from documentation of territorial programs of state guarantees of free medical care of population and tariff agreements in regions of the Russian Federation in 2021-2022 and from the Federal Telemedicine System in 2021. The study established that total number of telemedicine consultations increased in 2021 by 23% as compared with 2020. The percentage of consultations financed by the Compulsory Health Insurance Fund also increased from 6.95% in 2020 to 11.72% in 2021. The number of patients being on remote monitoring increased in 2021 up to 44% as compared to 2020. In addition, percentage of patients receiving medical care through remote monitoring and financed by the Compulsory Medical Insurance Fund increased from 6.55% in 2021 to 19.96% as compared with 2020. In the territorial programs of state guarantees for seven regions of the Russian Federation the number of types of telemedicine services fixed in tariff agreements increased in 2022 as compared to 2021. However, it decreased in ten regions. The most common medical care profiles for which telemedicine consultations in the "physician-physician" format were provided by Federal medical organizations in 2021 were: oncology (55 regions of Russia requested consultations on this profile), pediatrics (45 regions), and intensive-care medicine (39 regions). The telemedicine solutions are in high demand, as it is demonstrated by increasing both of volume of remote medical care and of percentage of consultations financed by the Compulsory Medical Insurance Fund. The COVID-19 pandemic had rather strong impact on development of telemedicine. The alignment of market for telemedicine services in public health sector began in 2021 and it is confirmed by decreasing of total number of consultation types in tariff agreements in 2022. In terms of remote interaction in "physician-physician" format, situation continues to be stable. In the nearest future one should expect more gradual development of telemedicine in Russia with appearance of individual initiatives in terms of pilot projects and experimental law modes.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Telemedicine , Child , Humans , Pandemics , Retrospective Studies , COVID-19/epidemiology , Russia/epidemiologyABSTRACT
Since March 2020, as a result of the health crisis caused by Covid-19, Ecuador has faced a sensitive panorama in the field of labor relations. The so-called states of emergency, which gave rise to restrictions on freedom of movement and assembly, led to the suspension of activities to safeguard the health of the population;and;consequently, in the issuance of new rules and guidelines for workers. Undoubtedly, a devasting scenario wordwide;and specifically for Ecuador, where, in addition to losing human lives, significant sources of work were lost and working conditions were modified to the detriment of workers, regardless of their condition. From this perspective, in this paper the labor regulations that were applied during the pandemic caused by Covid-19 are analyzed, in contrast to the norm applicable to disabled workers subject to the Labor Code, to finally, propose the procedural scenario that faces this priority care group in the courts of the country.
ABSTRACT
The Covid-19 pandemic has deepened the existing gender inequalities. In particular, it has dealt a significant blow to women entrepreneurs, as it has magnified the pre-pandemic disadvantages women have faced in the economic, social, financial and regulatory ecosystems they operate in, particularly due to the nature and size of their businesses. The article outlines three main reasons that explain why women entrepreneurs have been disproportionately impacted during this health pandemic. It then explores how trade agreements can help women overcome the barriers that impede their entrepreneurial potential and help their businesses sustain the pandemic-inflicted market disruptions.
ABSTRACT
European cooperation in criminal matters is a priority in all EU Member States, whether in the detection, investigation or judicial fields. In recent years, I have been carrying out research in the field of organised crime, during which I have realised that in investigations involving two or more Member States, it is almost impossible to achieve the desired objective without criminal cooperation. Then, in the spring of2020, investigative authorities had to deal with a variable such as the coronavirus pandemic, one of the consequences of which was that personal contact was minimised. However, one of the most important factors for successful and effective police cooperation are personal contacts, which can be achieved through training, meetings or even personal exchanges of views during the course of a criminal case. However, the activity of organised crime groups is ongoing, although it is fair to say that they favour cyberspace, but they have not given much thought to overcoming the obstacles that arose during the coronavirus pandemic. They have emerged in e-commerce, online marketplaces, but at the same time, they have expanded their existing network of recruiters and started to think globally. Their distribution activities and logistics have also changed. Typically, the online space can be observed for criminal activities such as drug trafficking, arms trafficking or fraud. The pandemic has also reduced the effectiveness of international cooperation on crime. In the research for this study, I am looking for answers to the question: what tools and methods of cooperation were available to the investigating authorities in the period before the pandemic and could they be further expanded? I will then contrast this period with the escalated situation during the pandemic. My research questions will include how and to what extent the coronavirus pandemic affected international criminal cooperation, in particular the use of Joint Investigation Teams. I also shed light on the question: what are the opportunities and obstacles to the use of available tools for criminal cooperation in the case of crimes committed in the online space? The threat is growing, it has more and more international aspects, so I think there is a need for deeper cooperation, not only between law enforcement agencies, but also involving the private sector and civil society. It is important to make the citizens of all countries aware of the threats they face.
ABSTRACT
Agriculture has progressively decreased in its proportion of the value of international trade flows, being largely surpassed by extractive industries and, above all, manufacturing. Latin America, and especially South America, however, is one of the regions where the highest percentage of total trade comes from agricultural trade. China has become a preferred destination for Latin American agricultural exports, with China seeing Latin America as a strategic partner in guaranteeing its food security. The objective of this chapter is to analyze the agricultural trade and investment relationship between China and Latin America, starting with an overview of the recent evolution of agricultural export and import flows between China and Latin America and its implications, followed by an analysis of the agricultural investment strategies that China has developed in Latin America and the agricultural trade agreements China has made with Latin American countries, and finishing with an exploration of the effects of COVID-19 on Sino-Latin American agricultural trade and some adaptation strategies that have been implemented. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.