(v)Issuesrelated toclarifying termsandconcepts usedin theagreed conclusions; Documentation Reports oftheSecretary-General andrelevant reports of international organizations (c)Identification ofissuesofaccounting andreporting for discussion onapriority basisduringfuturesessions; (d)Further stepstobetakeninrelation tothedevelopment ofthe comprehensive information system; Documentation ReportoftheSecretary-General (e)Accounting andreporting issuesarising outofthefuture code ofconduct ontransnational corporations; (f)Appropriate measures togiveeffecttotheworkoftheGroup; DQcumentation ReportoftheSecretary-General andconference roompapers (g)Waysandmeansofimproving education, research andpractical training inthefieldofaccounting andreporting inmember States. Documentation ReportoftheSecretary-General containing theresults ofthesurvey relating toAfrica -14-~"-.-~,.\ -.'-..;: 4.Provisional agendafortheninthsession oftheGroup. Documentation 5.Draftprovisional agendafortheninthsession ofthe Intergovernmental Working GroupofExperts onInternational Standards ofAccounting andReporting: notebytheSecretary-General Adoption ofthereportoftheGrouponitseighthsession. , I Decision 1989/2. Intergovernmental Working GroupofExperts onInternational Standards ofAccounting andReporting* TheCommission onTransnational Corporations decides that,inorderto giveeffecttotheworkoftheGroup,thefollowing threemeasures should be takenbytheUnitedNations Centre onTransnational Corporations: (a)Publish theobjectives andconcepts underlying financial statements asacompanion volumetotheconclusions onaccounting andreporting by transnational corporations; (b)Complete theworkonthepromotional brochure, including adesignof itscoverwithanappropriate logobywhichtheGroupcouldbeidentified, publishitandsenditwithout delaywithotherrelevant documents toall bodies ontherevised roster; (c)Takeuptheissueoftheestablishment ofapermanent trustfundto defraythecostofparticipation bydeveloping countries intheGroup's sessions. 4.Theattention oftheCo~ncil isdrawntotheotherdecisions and recommendations oftheCommission (paras. 21,22,53,70,79,89,101,107, 118, 133,153and159below). *Forthedisc~_;ion, seechap.Vbelow. -15- -----------------------_ ........--~-" li I I 1 I, \ 1 1 j 1j .j I I I I:I { III 11 I"j il ~Chapter 11 RECENT DEVELOPMENTS RELATED TOTRANSNATIONAL CORPORATIONS ANDINTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC RELATIONS 5.TheCommission considered item3ofitsagendaatits1stto4th,6th,10th and13thmeetings, on5,6,1012and14April1989.Ithadbeforeitthereports oftheSecretary-General onrecent developments related totransnational corporations andinternational economic relations (E/C.10/1989/2) andontherole oftransnational corporations intheleastdeveloped countries (E/C.10/1989/6). 6.Inintroducing theitem,theExecutive Director oftheUnitedNations Centre onTransnational Corporations highlighted theexplosive growthintransnational corporate activity inthemid-1980s. Annualforeign direct inv~ ~"~ntflowshad tripled between 1984and1987,reaching atotalofalmost $US135oillion. Moreover, thatdidnotinclude theincrease innon-equity agreements. The expansion andspreadoftransnational corporations hadundoubtedly contributed to thecontinuing economic upswing. However, thedistribution oftransnational corporate activity hadbeenskewed anduneven, withahighershareofflowsof foreign direct investment goingtodeveloped countries andadecreasing shareof capital, skills andentrepreneurial activity associated withtransnational corporations directed todeveloping countries. Inaddition, increasing disparities continued toexistamongdeveloping countries asagroup,transnational corporations concentrating onasmallnumberofnewlyindustrializing and resou~ce-rich developing countries, whiletheleastdeveloped countries were virtually bypassed. Theconcentration offoreign direct investment inNorth America andJapanwaslikelytocontinue, andthemovetowards aunified and integrated European Economic Community by1992hadaccelerated transnational
**Analysis**
The text appears to be discussing the activities and impact of transnational corporations on the global economy, with a focus on their role in developing countries. It highlights the uneven distribution of foreign direct investment and the concentration of capital in a few newly industrializing countries, leaving the least developed countries behind.

**Category**
Economic development, International trade