The work of the Economics Department relates to issues of both a macroeconomic and a structural character, and in particular on the interaction between structural and macroeconomic policies and developments.

It takes account of macroeconomic and structural policies over the medium and long term and progress in moving towards long-term objectives. International interactions between individual countries' policies and developments are of particular concern.

Most of the Department's work is eventually published but its first, and primary, destination is the Member governments as represented in a range of committees and working parties. Here the Department's analysis forms the basis for a process of multilateral surveillance.