Institutions and accountability have a major bearing on the effectiveness of global economic governance and on the sustainable development of developing countries. Regulation by public and private organizations can be hijacked by special interests or small groups of powerful firms, at the global, regional, and national levels.

GEG’s work in this area focuses on three issues:

1. Examining ‘regulatory’ capture; exploring how and why such hijacking or "regulatory capture" happens, and how it can be averted
2. Explaining why there is such variation in the outcomes of anti-corruption initiatives in developing countries, and the role of international actors in such initiatives
3. Ways to improve the accountability and legitimacy of global and regional actors, including the private sector

Recent publications

Deere Birkbeck, C. 2014. Inside View – Strengthening WIPO’s Governance for the Next 50 Years: A Time for Action, Intellectual Property Watch, 26 September 2014.

Deere Birkbeck, C. 2014. WIPO’s Assistance To Developing Countries: Taking Forward The Unfinished Reform Agenda,  Inside View - Intellectual Property Watch, 13 November 2014