More people in developed countries are overweight or obese than ever before, dooming them to years of ill-health and early death. New OECD data show however that in some countries obesity rates are slowing, and that’s good news for people’s health and government budgets.
Greece has signed the Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters, a multilateral agreement that was developed jointly by the Council of Europe and the OECD and that is open for signature to all countries.
Experts, manufacturers and government officials meeting in Paris this week reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining safety standards in farm machinery by expanding and updating the OECD’s harmonised tests and codes.
The pace of reform has accelerated in those OECD countries where it is needed most, says the latest Going for Growth report. It identifies the specific action needed to help governments steer their economies out of the crisis, stimulate growth and create jobs.
India has ratified the Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters, a multilateral agreement developed jointly by the Council of Europe and the OECD that was opened for signature to all countries in June 2011.
Agricultural policies to reduce poverty in developing countries should focus on strategic investments to raise productivity and benefit from high food prices, according to a new OECD study.
Aggressive tax planning – untaxed income, multiple deductions and other forms of international tax arbitrage - is a growing concern for all governments.
Chicago is at a tipping point: despite economic strengths, it faces considerable challenges to compete in the “Premier League” of world-class cities, warns the OECD’s review of the Chicago Tri-State Metropolitan Region.
OECD governments have made little overall progress in reducing water contamination from farming over the past decade. More rigorous policies are needed to reduce the use of pesticides and encourage sustainable management of water quality in agriculture.
Swift action is needed to stabilise the Hungarian economy and put growth on a sound footing for a durable recovery, according to the latest Economic Survey of Hungary. Strengthening the credibility and predictability of domestic policies and undertaking much-needed fiscal consolidation will be key.
