The Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes has just completed peer reviews of 11 jurisdictions. This brings to 70 the number of peer review reports completed since March 2010.
Middle Eastern and North African countries should reform the governance of their state-owned enterprises to bring about greater public accountability and improve their efficiency, according to a new OECD report.
Small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) requesting loans between 2007 and 2010 faced higher interest rates than for large companies. Loan conditions for SMEs included shortened maturities and increased demands for collateral, suggesting that banks considered smaller firms to be a higher risk.
The European Union is a major player in global development, co-ordinating coherent actions amongst its 27 member states and providing direct support to developing countries.
Across OECD countries some 83 million people suffer from diabetes. On current trends, that will rise to almost 100 million by 2030.
The average tax and social security burden on employment incomes increased in 26 out of 34 OECD countries in 2011 according to the new OECD Taxing Wages publication. Tax payers in Ireland, Luxembourg, Portugal and the Slovak Republic were among those hit with the largest increases.
Sweden should establish an independent committee of experts to oversee its National Pension Funds and set a clear, measurable financial objective for investments to ensure their long-term viability, according to a new OECD report.
Korea recovered faster and more vigorously from the global crisis than most OECD countries, but strong economic growth alone will not be enough to address the fundamental challenges posed by its rapidly ageing population and rising inequality, according to the latest Economic Survey of Korea.
The report highlights strategies from other countries that could serve as a model for England as it develops its early childhood education and care programme.
Korea has weathered the shocks triggered by the global recession and its economy is recovering more quickly and vigorously than most other OECD countries.
