World Free Zone Convention

The recent globalisation of international supply chains has resulted in an immense increase in the volumes of the cross-border flows of goods. The development of a responsive and efficient supply chain is now a STRICT REQUIREMENT FOR COMPANIES INVOLVED IN INTERNATIONAL TRADE. Optimisation of the supply chain may also result in realizing ENORMOUS SAVINGS IN THE AREA OF INDIRECT TAXES. Companies are becoming more aware of opportunities which may exist under free trade agreements, ANY DUTY PLANNING TECHNIQUES ALLOWED by the local authorities and the AVOIDANCE OF THE PAYMENT OF INDIRECT TAXES BY USING FOREIGN TRADE ZONES/PORTS. Companies are also looking for the most favourable use of other available trade facilitating procedures.

Course Objectives

This new tailor-made 2 ½ day training course will provide participants to focus on SCM within their own organisation's strategies. They will gain an overview of some of the most recent developments in FDI and global SCM and develop an understanding of concepts and elements of integrated corporate supply chain management from a corporate perspective.
At the end of the workshop participants will be able to better integrate SCM principles in their investment promotion and aftercare strategies and tailor them to corporate needs. They will be better equipped in acting as advisers to corporate investment executives managing supply chains. The workshop requires active participation.

Training tools

Presentations, Case studies, best practices, FDI software, Role play and exercises, Panel discussions and benchmarking

This training programme will be held at the NH Doelen Hotel in central Amsterdam

THE 2008 WORLD FREE ZONE CONVENTION WEBSITE AWARDS

supported by

Oxford Intelligence - www.IPAWorld.com

2008 WINNER Category ONE ! BEST FREE ZONE WEBSITE

Krishnapatnamport SEZ, India

www.navayuga.com

AND THE RUNNER-UP !

Ras Al Khaimah FTZ, UAE

www.rakftz.com

AND

2008 WINNERS Category TWO ! BEST ZONE AUTHORITY OR OTHER WEBSITE

Canadian Construction Association, Canada

www.cca-acc.com

AND THE RUNNER-UP !

Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA)

www.nepza.gov.ng

See the 8^th WFZC PROGRAMME

WORLD FREE ZONE CONVENTION was held the 2^ND & 3^RD December 2008 in Charleston, SC, USA

FREE ZONES AROUND THE WORLD - CREATING VALUE THROUGH INTERNATIONAL OUTREACH
With the close support of Site Selection magazine

Sponsoring Organisations:

A special tailor made 3 DAY TRAINING COURSE was recently held in The Netherlands

PORT MASTER PLANNING & SPECIAL ECONOMIC AND INDUSTRIAL ZONES
Monday 2nd June to Wednesday 4th June 2008
Download the FULL PROGRAMME(.pdf 420Kb)

NEW WFZC MONTHLY ZONES ACTIVITY REPORT

Download Information(.pdf 107Kb)

At WFZC we monitor Special Economic Zones around the world and more than 120 countries now have some form of zone development programme - India, China & South East Asia, Middle East, North and South America, Russia and Central Asia, Europe and Africa.

Speakers and Delegates who have participated in our meetings represent a wide cross-section of organisations from almost all these countries, and from others considering their establishment - Zones and the Authorities who regulate them, Government Ministries, Investment Promotion Agencies, Corporates and Location Specialists as well as Investors, Banks and other Financial Advisers.

INVESTORS' DAY - inaugurated in 2005, this day enables Zones, IPAs and other organisations to present their projects, region or country in 30 minutes slots. WFZC invites guests with a professional interest in corporate location, site selection and foreign direct investment.

Highlights since 2001

WTO Director General and EU Negotiator on WFZC platforms in 2001-2003

IPAWorld supports Free Zone Website Awards (2002 - present)

Foreign Direct Investment magazine becomes media partner (2002)

Partnership with CEI / EBRD at Skopje governmental conference

Report "Challenges, Threats and Opportunities for the world's Free Zones" presented at the Brussels Convention

Daily News from Oxford Intelligence launched on WFZC website

Visit to European Parliament and other European Union institutions (2003)

Special analysis of International Law on Incentives, Benefits, Competition and State Aids in London 2003

Courses and Training Division established

WFZC becomes World Bank FDI Xchange partner (2004)

Post Conference visit to Free Zones in Cairo, Egypt

WFZC supports WAIPA (World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies) meetings in Geneva (2004 to present)

WFZC infrastructure seminar at MIPIM international property exhibition in Cannes (2005/06)

First WFZC meeting held in a Free Zone (Aegean Free Zone, Izmir) with Ministerial Round Table, resulting in Conference Declaration

Financial Times publishes full page article on Free Zones (2005)

WFZC assists with the launch of Pan African Free Zone Association (2005)

Site Selection magazine from the US becomes new media partner (2006)

World Customs Organisation & WFZC sign joint Declaration at Geneva Briefing & Forum (2006)

AFZA (Africa Free Zones Association) Memorandum of agreement signed at Sixth Convention in Paris (2006).

2nd Joint Briefing with WCO held in their Headquarters Building in Brussels (2007) with a contribution from the China Free Trade Zone and Export Processing Zones Association

First Annual Convention held in Asia (Kuala Lumpur) in November 2007 with Site Selection as new media partner

REIDIN.com property and infrastructure information provider becomes new partner 2008

Monthly WFZC Zones Activity Report launched in February 2008

Port Master Planning 3 Day Training Course held in The Netherlands (2008)

8th Convention held in Charleston, South Carolina, USA in December 2009

Countries which have participated in WFZC events

Free Zones and the World Trade Organization Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures

A recent issue of the Global Trade and Customs Journal contained an article by Raul A. Torres, a Legal Affairs Officer in the Development Division of the WTO Secretariat. This article was written to follow up his presentation to the 1st Joint International Briefing & Forum arranged by WFZC and the World Customs Organisation in Geneva in July 2006.

In view of the importance and topicality of the subject we are pleased to make this article freely available
Download the .pdf file (106 ko).

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