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Thailand Negotiating ‘Worrying’ Deal With EU

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EU Council President Herman Van Rompuy (R) welcomes Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra

 

BRUSSELS – The negotiations launched this week for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Thailand and the European Union have raised concerns among both Thai and European non-governmental organisations, who fear that EU demands could have a negative impact on Thailand’s progressive public health policies.

Launched during Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra’s visit to Brussels on Mar. 6, the negotiations will include the Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) agreement, an international accord that lays down rules for dealing with intellectual property such as branded medicine. If the EU pushes the interests of its pharmaceutical companies, access to generic drugs in Thailand could be at risk, according to some NGOs and European parliamentarians.

“The interest of big pharmaceutical companies is to have a higher price for their medicine, and the interest of a state such as Thailand is to have access to generic medicine that is cheaper, so there’s a real issue,” Leila Bodeux, a Brussels-based spokesperson for Oxfam told IPS.

“It’s very important to consider that Thailand has made a great deal of effort to improve its public health system and now has a universal health scheme. But for the scheme to function well, it has to rely on affordable medicine.”

Oxfam and other groups including Dutch-based Health Action International (HAI) and Action Against AIDS Germany say that excessive intellectual property protection and enforcement can restrict makers of generic drugs. The consequence is that market monopolies are propped up, with high prices for medicine, thus “affecting access to affordable treatment.”

Thailand has gained international admiration for its public health programme which is based on providing inexpensive medicine to its population, says Oxfam, which works to eliminate poverty around the world. In the treatment of HIV/AIDS, the Asian country has managed to provide antiretroviral therapy (ART) to 80 percent of those living with the disease.

The fact that most ART drugs are produced by India for other developing countries has reduced the treatment’s cost enormously.

But activists say that these advances could be rolled back by the Free Trade Agreement, particularly if the EU introduces “investor-state dispute provisions” in the FTA.

NGO leaders point to the case of U.S. pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly & Co. which has brought a lawsuit against Canada under the North American free trade agreement, demanding 100 million dollars in compensation for Canadian court rulings that stripped the company of its patent for medicine used to treat attention-deficit disorder. Thailand could find itself in a similar position to Canada if makers of generic drugs are seen to infringe existing patents, warn NGOs.

“We are particularly worried that the EU will push to have intellectual property provisions that go beyond the TRIPS agreement,” said Bodeux. Such provisions, known as TRIPS-plus, may have the support of multinational drug firms but would be detrimental to the Thai public health budget, Oxfam says.

Bodeux told IPS that the EU may try to seek a longer “patent term” for drugs than the current 20 years agreed under World Trade Organisation rules. In addition, the EU may request “data exclusivity” provisions, which means that Thailand would not be able to give out certain clinical trial information during a specified time frame.

The European Commission says that the launch of FTA negotiations “marks an important step in EU-Thai relations, already strengthened by a Partnership and Cooperation Agreement.”

The Commission stated that the aim “is to conclude a comprehensive agreement covering tariffs, non-tariff barriers and other trade related issues such as services, investment, procurement, regulatory issues, competition, and sustainable development.”

It adds that the FTA with Thailand “should deliver substantial economic gains and put the EU on a par with partners who have already concluded FTAs with Thailand (China, India, Japan, Korea, Australia and New Zealand).” The first negotiating round is expected to take place possibly in May, before the summer break.

Like the NGOs, some members of the European Parliament (MEPs) are keeping a close eye on the negotiations and the aspects of the FTA that could have a harmful impact. Franziska Keller, German MEP from the Green alliance, told IPS that she shared the concerns of civil society organisations.

“I completely agree that the government of Thailand should not let itself get into TRIPS-plus talks,” she said. “I also think that the EU should absolutely not force TRIPS. Medicine is an important part of Thailand’s budget and if generic medicine cannot be used, cannot be produced, this is going to be much more expensive for the Thai government.”

Realising what is at stake, demonstrators in Thailand have recently tried to draw attention to how the FTA may affect the cost of medicine and agricultural products in the country. They say the government has not adequately consulted with civil society in the talks on the multi-billion-dollar bilateral trade.

“The IP provisions, the enforcement measures and the investment chapter are all areas where the stakes are really high,” said Tessel Mellema, policy advisor for Health Action International.

She told IPS that Thailand may feel pressured to give concessions because of the impending expiration of its general system of trade preferences with the EU, due to end in early 2014. But Mellema said NGOs want Thailand to have “political room” to negotiate without pressure from the EU.

Thailand is the EU’s third largest trading partner in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and the EU is also Thailand’s third biggest trading partner. According to the European commission, trade between the bloc and Thailand reached nearly 32 billion euros last year.

It says that the EU is one of the biggest investors in Thailand with investment stocks valued at more than 14 billion euros in 2011.

EU exports comprise mainly high-tech products including machinery and electrical appliances, pharmaceutical products, vehicles, precious metals and optical instruments, the Commission said, while imports from Thailand include machinery and electrical appliances, foodstuffs, vehicles, precious metals, pearls, and plastics and rubber.

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PepsiCo Reduces Revenue Projections As North American Snacks And Key International Markets Underperform.

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(VOR News) – In the third quarter of this year, Pepsi’s net income was $2.93 billion, which is equivalent to $2.13 per share. This was attributed to the company.

This is in stark contrast to net income of $3.09 billion, which is equivalent to $2.24 per share, during the same period in the previous year. The company’s earnings per share were $2.31 when expenses were excluded.

Net sales decreased by 0.6%, totaling $23.32 billion. Organic sales increased by 1.3% during the quarter when the effects of acquisitions, divestitures, and currency changes are excluded.

Pepsi’s beverage sales fell this quarter.

The most recent report indicates that the beverage and food sectors of the organization experienced a 2% decline in volume. Consumers of all income levels are demonstrating a change in their purchasing habits, as indicated by CEOs’ statements from the previous quarter.

Pepsi’s entire volume was adversely affected by the lackluster demand they encountered in North America. An increasing number of Americans are becoming more frugal, reducing the number of snacks they ingest, and reducing the number of times they purchase at convenience stores.

Furthermore, Laguarta observed that the increase in sales was partially attributed to the election that occurred in Mexico during the month of June.

The most significant decrease in volume was experienced by Quaker Foods North America, which was 13%. In December, the company announced its initial recall in response to a potential salmonella infection.

Due to the probability of an illness, the recall was extended in January. Pepsi officially closed a plant that was implicated in the recalls in June, despite the fact that manufacturing had already been halted.

Jamie Caulfield, the Chief Financial Officer of Pepsi and Laguarta, has indicated that the recalls are beginning to have a lessening effect.

Frito-Lay experienced a 1.5% decline in volume in North America. The company has been striving to improve the value it offers to consumers and the accessibility of its snack line, which includes SunChips, Cheetos, and Stacy’s pita chips, in the retail establishments where it is sold.

Despite the fact that the category as a whole has slowed down in comparison to the results of previous years, the level of activity within the division is progressively increasing.

Pepsi executives issued a statement in which they stated that “Salty and savory snacks have underperformed year-to-date after outperforming packaged food categories in previous years.”

Pepsi will spend more on Doritos and Tostitos in the fall and winter before football season.

The company is currently promoting incentive packets for Tostitos and Ruffles, which contain twenty percent more chips than the standard package.

Pepsi is expanding its product line in order to more effectively target individuals who are health-conscious. The business announced its intention to acquire Siete Foods for a total of $1.2 billion approximately one week ago. The restaurant serves Mexican-American cuisine, which is typically modified to meet the dietary needs of a diverse clientele.

The beverage segment of Pepsi in North America experienced a three percent decrease in volume. Despite the fact that the demand for energy drinks, such as Pepsi’s Rockstar, has decreased as a result of consumers visiting convenience stores, the sales of well-known brands such as Gatorade and Pepsi have seen an increase throughout the quarter.

Laguarta expressed his opinion to the analysts during the company’s conference call, asserting, “I am of the opinion that it is a component of the economic cycle that we are currently experiencing, and that it will reverse itself in the future, once consumers feel better.”

Additionally, it has been noted that the food and beverage markets of South Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and Africa have experienced a decline in sales volume. The company cut its forecast for organic revenue for the entire year on Tuesday due to the business’s second consecutive quarter of lower-than-anticipated sales.

The company’s performance during the quarter was adversely affected by the Quaker Foods North America recalls, the decrease in demand in the United States, and the interruptions that occurred in specific international markets, as per the statements made by Chief Executive Officer Ramon Laguarta.

Pepsi has revised its forecast for organic sales in 2024, shifting from a 4% growth rate to a low single-digit growth rate. The company reiterated its expectation that the core constant currency profitability per share will increase by a minimum of 8% in comparison to the previous year.

The company’s shares declined by less than one percent during premarket trading. The following discrepancies between the company’s report and the projections of Wall Street were identified by LSEG in a survey of analysts:

SOURCE: CNBC

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Old National Bank And Infosys Broaden Their Strategic Partnership.

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Old National Bank And Infosys Broaden Their Strategic Partnership.

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Infosys

(VOR News) – Old National Bank, a commercial bank with its headquarters in the Midwest, and Infosys, a firm that specializes in information technology, have recently entered into a strategic expansion of their link, which has been in place for the past four years.

This expansion is more likely to take place sooner rather than later, with the likelihood being higher.

For the purpose of making it possible for Old National Bank to make use of the services, solutions, and platforms that are offered by Infosys, the objective of this expansion is to make it possible for the bank to transform its operations and processes through the application of automation and GenAI, as well as to change significant business areas.

This lets the bank leverage Infosys’ services, solutions, and platforms.

Old National Bank Chairman and CEO Jim Ryan said, “At Old National, we are committed to creating exceptional experiences for both our customers and our fellow employees.”

This statement is applicable to Old National Bank. Infosys is carefully managing the business process innovations that it is putting us through, putting a strong emphasis on efficiency and value growth throughout the process to ensure that it is carried out efficiently.

This is a routine occurrence throughout the entire operation. Because of Infosys’ dedication to our development and success, we are incredibly appreciative of the assistance they have provided.

Old National has been receiving assistance from Infosys in the process of updating its digital environment since the year 2020, according to the aforementioned company.

Ever since that time, the company has been providing assistance. The provision of this assistance has been accomplished through the utilization of a model that is not only powerful but also capable of functioning on its own power.

Infosys currently ranks Old National thirty-first out of the top thirty US banks.

This ranking is based on the fact that Old National is the nation’s largest banking corporation.

It is estimated that the total value of the company’s assets is approximately fifty-three billion dollars, while the assets that are currently being managed by the organization are valued at thirty billion dollars.

Dennis Gada, the Executive Vice President and Global Head of Banking and Financial Services, stated that “Old National Bank and Infosys possess a robust cultural and strategic alignment in the development, management, and enhancement of enterprise-scale solutions to transform the bank’s operations and facilitate growth.”

This remark referenced the exceptional cultural and strategic synergy between the two organizations. Dennis Gada is the one who asserted this claim. This was articulated explicitly concerning the exceptional cultural congruence and strategy alignment of the two organizations.

We are pleased to announce that the implementation of Infosys Topaz will substantially expedite the transformation of Old National Bank’s business processes and customer service protocols. We are exceedingly enthusiastic about this matter. We are quite thrilled about this specific component of the scenario.

Medium-sized banks operating regionally will continue to benefit from our substantial expertise in the sector, technology, and operations. This specific market segment of Infosys will persist in benefiting from our extensive experience. This phenomenon will enable this market sector to sustain substantial growth and efficiency benefits.

SOURCE: THBL

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American Water, The Largest Water Utility In US, Is Targeted By A Cyberattack

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water

The largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the United States stated Monday that it had been the target of a cyberattack, forcing the company to halt invoicing to consumers.

water

American Water, The Largest Water Utility In US, Is Targeted By A Cyberattack

American Water, based in New Jersey and serving over 14 million people in 14 states and 18 military facilities, said it learned of the unauthorized activity on Thursday and quickly took precautions, including shutting down certain systems. The business does not believe the attack had an impact on its facilities or operations and said employees were working “around the clock” to determine the origin and scale of the attack.

water

The corporation stated that it has alerted legal enforcement and is cooperating with them. It also stated that consumers will not be charged late fees while its systems are unavailable.

According to their website, American Water operates over 500 water and wastewater systems in around 1,700 communities across California, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.

SOURCE | AP

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