State Control over Intra-Group Transactions of Assets of a Strategic Entity

The article examines the current legal mechanism for monitoring the implementation of intra-group transactions and other actions within the framework of economic concentration; the possibility of applying the appropriate procedure when exercising state control over foreign investments in strategic business companies.The analysis of regulatory legal acts and international practice allowed the author to conclude that the introduction (by analogy with the Law on the Protection of Competition) of a notification procedure for a foreign investor to make transactions with assets of a strategic business company will not correspond to the objectives of control over foreign investments. In that connection the existing preliminary control seems to be the most effective.

A Critical Review of Biofuels as an Alternative Fuel to Diesel in Gulf Regional Corporation (GCC) Region: Current Market Trends and Future Opportunitie

Bio Fuels are considered as good alternatives for conventional fossil fuels. By the year 2020, in the GCC region these fuels are able to meet around 0.5 - 1% of total transportation fuel demand. This industry grew at rate of 3.4% over the period of 2015-2020 with a strong projected growth in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Bio fuels are used to operate automotive for mining and construction industries. Critical barriers in foreign investments pose a major challenge for growth of this sector in the GCC region. The presented work discusses situation and growth predictions of Bio-Fuel industry in the GCC region. It also discusses about current growth, trends, opportunities and challenges being faced by major companies operating in the GCC region.

STARTUPS IN RUSSIA

These days, startups are playing an increasing role in the development of the country's national economy and its economic stability. They are based on a risky and innovative nature. The development of startups in Russia serves to support its economy and increase its innovation potential. It is necessary to structurally investigate and develop the domestic venture market, which will open the way to the international market and foreign investments in the future

الاقتصاد العراقي ما بعد عام 2003 التحديات والمعالجات

Iraq faces great challenges, the most important of which are terrorism, economic corruption, and the rentier economy. The countries have disintegrated and collapsed after 2003 after the US occupation and the change of the previous political regime. The Iraqi economy has faced rampant corruption in various economic sectors, economic mafias, and the inability of successive Iraqi governments to address the imbalances in the Iraqi economy, and then terrorist organizations spread. Conflicts, destruction, displacement, and large financial spending on military operations and on fictitious and unproductive projects began since 2003 until Iraq’s victory over terrorism, which destroyed the country and the people, especially the Western regions of Iraq. Accordingly, the start of comprehensive economic reform, while limiting the phenomenon of financial and administrative corruption in the joints of the economic sectors in Iraq, and the reconstruction of cities and areas liberated from terrorist gangs, as well as developing appropriate plans and strategies to enhance the economy’s ability to advance the deteriorating reality and depends mainly on oil revenues. , and this needs to expedite the development of solutions and treatments to advance the economic reality, through diversifying the Iraqi economy in order to increase and diversify exports, reduce imports to provide hard currencies derived from oil revenues, encourage foreign investments in various economic sectors, and build adequate housing for the majority of the Iraqi people who suffer From economic corruption, terrorist operations, and building an economy that depends primarily on local natural and human resources.

Hamlet as an Arab Intellectual: A Marxist Reading of Mamduh Adwan’s Play Hamlet Wakes Up Late

The paper aims at reading Mamduh Adwan’s play Hamlet Wakes up Late (1978) from a Marxist perspective to broadly examine how life under a Capitalist system along with its foreign investments and trading services can easily destroy the political, social as well as the cultural surroundings of a certain nation. Throughout his play, Adwan brilliantly adapts Shakespeare and offers a Marxist point of view to comment on how the West continues to dominate the East with its economic power. Importantly, in employing Shakespeare’s portrayal of Hamlet as a tragic hero, Adwan uses him as a dramatic archetype to comment on one of the Shakespearean’s famous political quotes “something is rotten in the state of Denmark”. Seen from this perspective, the paper will read Adwan’s play from a Marxist viewpoint to demonstrate how he has in fact used Hamlet’s lack of intellectualism to criticize the Syrian policy of “The Six Day War” defeat to Israel.

Russian merger control: in favor of foreign companies?

PurposeThe paper aims to reveal the attitude of the Russian competition authorities towards cross-border mergers involving foreign buyers. The study addresses the following question: Is the probability of Russian competition authorities' intervention significantly different when a foreign buyer takes part in the merger? This is the key test to reveal whether competition authorities gravitate towards “economic nationalism” or “promotion of foreign investments”.Design/methodology/approachThe discrete choice model is applied to the dataset of 7,607 merger cases investigated by the Russian competition authorities between 2012 and 2017. The probability of competition authorities' intervention, such as merger correction by using remedies or deal rejection, is used as a measure of special attention.FindingsThe study finds out favoritism patterns of the regulator with regard to foreign companies. In particular, the deals involving a foreign buyer had less chance of intervention, i.e. imposition of remedies, from national competition authorities. The sanctions period does not moderate the probability of approval of a cross-border merger with foreign buyers by the Russian competition authorities.Originality/valueThe paper contributes to merger control literature by addressing the political economy issues. It discovers that, besides regulation by the law, there are hidden motives, such as protectionism or favoritism of foreign companies, which could drive the regulator's decision. Therefore, the studies of cross-border mergers provide an opportunity to investigate the political issues of merger control through the identification of a special attitude to foreign companies and analysis of regularities that might explain such a policy.

Screening of Foreign Investments and the Bilateral Investment Treaties of Bangladesh

Since 1960, about 2852 bilateral investment treaties (BITs) have been signed. Of them, 2298 BITs are in force at present. In the last 61 years, the WTO members failed to conclude a global treaty to regulate FDI in host countries, consequently, the BITs have played a significant role to regulate FDI. As a member of the WTO, Bangladesh has signed 31 BITs so far with various states to allow and increase the inflow of FDI into the country. Bangladeshi foreign investment laws and BITs mainly protect foreign investors. However, neither of them has any specific provision regarding the screening of foreign investments in Bangladesh. Two questions have been addressed in this paper: (a) Do the BITs of Bangladesh allow the host state for screening of foreign investments at the entry stage? (b) Should the screening of FDI be required during the pre-entry stage in Bangladesh? In this paper, a doctrinal research method has been used to critically analyze 15 BITs to explore whether there is any reference for screening of foreign investments in Bangladesh. We find that the existing Bangladesh BITs have provisions to promote and protect foreign investments but have no reference in relation to the screening of foreign investments. Therefore, the author has recommended that the Government of Bangladesh can consider specific provisions for screening of FDI in future BITs.

Is the Foreign Investment Matter for the Agricultural Export?

The idea that foreign investments can help developing countries to increase their economic growths and exports may not be fulfilled recently. However, many economists, world organizations and country governments still defend that idea. This study is aimed to compare impacts of foreign and local direct investments to agricultural exports. Quantitative data is obtained from some publications of Indonesian government. This research uses Ordinary Least Square Regression method to analyze relations between foreign and local direct investments with agricultural exports. This research found that foreign direct investments has a nonsignificant effect on agricultural exports, but local investment has a positive significant effect.