Columbia U. Conference on Investment Incentives

On November 13 and 14, the 8th Annual Columbia International Investment Conference will be held in New York City. Sponsored by the Vale Columbia Center on Sustainable International Investment, the conference is titled: "Investment Incentives -- the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Assessing the Costs, Benefits, and the Options for Policy Reform."

The meetings will focus primarily on location subsidies for foreign investment, and primarily in developing countries. But there will also be plenty of coverage of North America and the European Union, as well as discussion of global institutions and regimes. Louise Story, author of the very valuable New York Times series, "The United States of Subsidies," will moderate the first panel.

As the conference materials lay out in greater detail, "The aim of this year’s Conference is to advance our understanding about the role that incentives have played in attracting and retaining foreign direct investment; the policy rationales supporting or discouraging various types of incentives; the strategies that may be more effective at achieving the objectives of host governments; and the potential for future coordinated action on these issues."

I will be speaking during the Thursday afternoon panel on the topic of controlling investment incentives (what else?). There will be an outstanding roster of panelists, both academics and practitioners. If you're interested in the topic and will be in the vicinity, you should attend. Registration is free, but also required in advance. You can register at the link above.