OECD Secretary-General Gurría addresses dangers of U.S. impasse to world economy

The current political deadlock in the United States is needlessly putting at risk the stability and growth not only of the US but also the world economy. This comes at a time when a fragile recovery in advanced economies was underway, and when a number of emerging economies were already facing new risks.

The climate challenge: Achieving zero emissions

Governments need to put together the optimal policy mix to eliminate emissions from fossil fuels in the second half of the century. Cherry-picking a few easy measures will not do the trick. There has to be progress on every front, notably with respect to carbon pricing, and that is what peer review and learning from best practice should help achieve, said OECD Secretary-General.

Launch of the OECD Survey of Adult Skills

We have opened a new gold-mine of knowledge that will be crucial for policy-makers to succeed in their efforts to improve education systems and tackle unemployment effectively. Let me share with you some of our main conclusions and recommendations.

Related Documents

• OECD Secretary-General to Launch the OECD Skills Outlook in Brussels on 8 October 2013

It is time for Africa - Promising opportunities from natural resources

Today, the region’s economic outlook is rather promising, but they should be no cause for complacency as Africa is still facing multiple economic and social challenges.

OECD Informal Meeting of Ministers of Education (speech)

Unemployment is high and large numbers of children and adults do not have the basic skills necessary to thrive in today’s global economy. We need to kick-start a global skills revolution and build the policies that will save a whole generation, said OECD Secretary-General.

Related Documents

• PISA
• PIAAC

OECD’s Gurría backs Abe’s move on VAT

OECD Secretary-General, Angel Gurría, congratulated Japanese Prime Minister Abe on his announcement today that Japan will raise its consumption tax as legislated from the current 5% to 8% next April.

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• アンヘル・グリアOECD事務総長による安倍総理に対する祝辞

Costa Rica’s adherence to the Declaration on International Investment and Multinational Enterprises

Today, Costa Rica becomes the 45th country to adhere to the Declaration. This commitment is further evidence of Costa Rica’s strong pledge to create an attractive climate for investment, to build on previous efforts which have already contributed substantially to the country’s economic progress. It is also an important step to strengthen the growing ties between Costa Rica and the OECD, said Angel Gurría.

OECD Debate at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (1st October 2013)

The crisis has imposed an enormous social cost and has eroded the people’s confidence on their governments’ capacities. This, in turn, is raising questions of legitimacy. This is not just one more crisis. The foundations of our social contract need to be repaired, said OECD Secretary-General.

Tackling Portugal’s Health Challenges and Promoting Well Being

In Portugal, health spending has been reduced from 10.8% of GDP in 2009 to 10.2% now. This has been achieved by rationalising spending on pharmaceuticals, promoting the use of generic drugs, moderating salaries; cutting the fees paid to hospitals, and increasing user charges, while still protecting those in most need, said OECD Secretary-General.

“The Future Ain’t What it Used to Be - 20 Years of Competition Law and the Challenges Ahead”

Strong competition is an optimizer for our economies. First of all, it is the best catalyst to increase our productivity. This is because a strong competition framework generates the right incentives to attract the most efficient firms into our markets.

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• The Secretary-General of the OECD will be in Reykjavik, Iceland, on an Official Visit, 27 September 2013