The Generalised Scheme on Preferences Plus (GSP+) of the European Union aims to improve good governance and sustainable development in developing countries. To achieve these aims, the GSP+ offers...Show moreThe Generalised Scheme on Preferences Plus (GSP+) of the European Union aims to improve good governance and sustainable development in developing countries. To achieve these aims, the GSP+ offers trade benefits to the beneficiary countries. In exchange, the countries need to ratify 27 core conventions in the policy areas on labour rights, human rights, good governance, and the environment. One of those conventions is the Basel Convention, which addresses the collective action problem of illegal trafficking of hazardous waste. Following the Global Public Goods and institutionalist theory, it is expected that international agreements help combat collective action problems by improving compliance with international conventions. However, a debate has emerged as to whether the GSP+ is an effective instrument to help beneficiary countries implement the conventions on the ground. Previous research focused on the effect of the GSP+ on the implementation of labour conventions and human rights. By focusing on the environmental side and investigating compliance with the Basel Convention, this research addresses the gap in the literature. This research presents a comparative quantitative content analysis between GSP+ countries and a control group to measure whether the GSP+ affects countries' compliance with the Basel Convention. The study finds that the GSP+ has no positive effect on all dimensions of countries' compliance with the Basel Convention compared to non-GSP+ countries.Show less
The overall aim of this thesis is to better understand the role of International Financial Institutions in achieving economic development. The problem statement therefore focuses on the appropriate...Show moreThe overall aim of this thesis is to better understand the role of International Financial Institutions in achieving economic development. The problem statement therefore focuses on the appropriate governance approach for international financial support to ultimately achieve sustainable economic development. To assess the problem statement the case of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank in the Tunisian context will be analysed. The lens that will be used to perform the analysis will mainly compose of literature on Global Public Goods and Commons. The case study will be established through policy papers, academic literature, opinion papers and primary data retrieved from a questionnaire on the Tunisian public opinion concerning the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. On this basis, the hypothesis stating that a bottom-up approach leads to more sustainable economic development will be tested. The analysis shows that the current Global Public Goods approach to International Financial Institutions does not result in sustainable economic development. A Commons approach would probably have better results, but it is difficult to establish such a bottom-up approach in practice. However, theoretically it can be concluded that a bottom-up approach will lead to more sustainable economic development.Show less
