Many quarters
These ideals have gained increasing support from many quarters of the libertarian and conservative movements, and prominent figures within the Republican Party. The Daily Caller provides a roll call of Internet Freedom exponents:
“These voices include TechFreedom president Berin Szoka, Mercatus Center senior research fellow Adam Thierer, Associate Director of Technology Studies at the Competitive Enterprise Institute Ryan Radia, and Netcompetition president Scott Cleland.
“It is also modeled off of the efforts of Republican politicians in both chambers of Congress.
“California Republican Representatives Mary Bono Mack and Darrell Issa, Tennessee Republican Rep. Marsha Blackburn, Oregon Republican Rep. Greg Walden, Texas Republican Rep. Ron Paul and Michigan Republican Rep. Fred Upton are some of leaders in the House on Internet issues.
“Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio, Texas Republican Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison and Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul have lead Republican efforts in the Senate.”
The GOP platform also includes practical critiques of the FCC, outmoded telecom legislation, and the Obama Administration’s expense of $7 billion without measurable progress toward increasing broadband infrastructure in the United States. The latter is a matter of particular dismay for consumers and businesses in rural areas.
The GOP platform is, unfortunately but understandably, silent on two of the most contentious Internet issues of the moment: cybersecurity and Internet sales taxes. Platform language is not binding upon candidates, and it certainly doesn’t prevent them from addressing issues the party platform chooses not to discuss in detail, so the Romney-Ryan campaign may yet provide us with specific positions in these areas.
IKEA
More Sri Lankan investments in India – IKEA to invest.
The Union minister of Commerce has decided to redefine small and medium enterprises (SME) to make it possible for investment by the Swedish furniture giant IKEA . Union minister Sharma announced this at the India road show here.
IKEA furniture manufacturer has sought some changes in policy to come in with an investment of over Rs 10,500 crore into India. As per current definition, SME is a unit with $1 million investment that can go in for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). IKEA pointed out that once it started sourcing from SME in India, the growth would be fast and SMEs would have to exceed the investment limit.
Sharma said that the moment SME started selling its products to companies abroad its investment would need to go up and under the present law it would cross the limit given and make it not eligible for FDI. Sharma said that the present law was penalizing SME for doing well.
The government to attract FDI had relaxed the foreign direct investment rules last year to allow 100% FDI in single-brand retail . Earlier it was 51% but imposed numerous conditions such as mandatory local sourcing kept off foreign players.
A few investors such as Skechers, Pavers England, Promod and Tommy Hilfiger did express interest but were deterred by stringent norms in upcoming national manufacturing investment zones (NMIZ).
Sharma announced three additional national manufacturing investment zones (NMIZ) will be
coming up in Andhra Pradesh and two in Karnataka. Work on 12 more zones will start by the end of August. Talking about Sri Lankan companies’ investment , Sharma said Sri Lankan companies especially the textile firm Brandex, MAS textiles and Toray are coming to invest heavily in India.
He said Brandex apparels aims for fourfold increase in its exports from Vizag unit in the coming years. Not only Brandex is very upbeat on increasing its investment in India, every Monday about 50 million lingerie pieces are exported by them to Victoria Secret.
Portugal
“The new economic model of Portugal and the way out of this situation will be through the openness of our economy,” he says. “By that I mean both the attractiveness for foreign investment and the internationalisation of our companies”.
Privatisations will bring in foreign investment, with partners likely to be selected not only for the price they will pay but also for their ability to attract subsequent investment.
The sell-off of the state’s 21 per cent stake in Energias de Portugal (EDP), the utility, to China’s Three Gorges for €2.7bn in December was contingent on further Chinese investment.
Reform of the labour laws, regarded as among the most inflexible in the European Union, will relax rules on hiring and firing workers and reduce the costs of extra hours.
This, says João Alves, country managing partner at Ernst & Young, will help market the relatively young and educated workforce better.
“There are many qualified young professionals working abroad, and many Portuguese are very comfortable working in the English language,” he says.
Cultural ties to Brazil, Angola and Mozambique can also provide its companies with a unique selling point to foreign investors looking to enter those fast growing markets.
“Portugal no longer stops at the borders of Europe,’ says Mr Reis.
“It is well positioned, historically, culturally, economically, logistically, to have an important role in the new global economy,” he adds.