TRADE PARTNERS' EDITION, 1 FEBRUARY 2011

HIGHLIGHTS

The World Economy: Getting it Right in 2011: OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría speaks out at Davos: Speech

Tax: Laws in some countries do not meet global standards. The Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax purposes, hosted by the OECD, has released ten reports which evaluate jurisdictions’ commitment to tax transparency and examine whether information is made available and accessible to foreign tax authorities. These reports follow eight others released in September 2010 and listed in the December 15 2010 What's New: Press Release PDFs are available on the OECD iLibrary and the Online Bookshop now; Books to come available over the next few weeks.

Phase 1 Reviews

• Barbados: Book on Online Bookshop | Book on OECD iLibrary
• Guernsey: Book on Online Bookshop | Book on OECD iLibrary
• The Seychelles: Book on Online Bookshop | Book on OECD iLibrary
• San Marino: Book on Online Bookshop | Book on OECD iLibrary
• Trinidad and Tobago: Book on Online Bookshop | Book on OECD iLibrary

Combined Phase 1 and Phase 2 Reviews

• Australia: Book on Online Bookshop | Book on OECD iLibrary
• Denmark: Book on Online Bookshop | Book on OECD iLibrary
• Ireland: Book on Online Bookshop | Book on OECD iLibrary
• Mauritius: Book on Online Bookshop | Book on OECD iLibrary
• Norway: Book on Online Bookshop | Book on OECD iLibrary

OECD PUBLISHING NEWS

OECD changes the way it publishes statistical periodicals. Starting with the January 2011 issue, Main Economic Indicators is being presented in a dynamic new format. On the OECD iLibrary, all 105 subject and country tables in each issue will be available in three formats: WEB, XLS and PDF. Each of the tables appears in the issue's online table of contents and is discoverable via search, enabling the user to easily find, use and cite the data. See the issue: January 2011 MEI This is an important new development for OECD Publishing. It should facilitate the use of data from these publications.

As part of its 50th Anniversary celebrations, the OECD is having a video competition for young people! If you are, or you know someone, aged between 18 and 25 and like making short videos, tell us what you think “Progress is”. Three lucky winners will be selected and invited to Paris in May, all-expenses-paid, for a special screening of the videos at the OECD Forum. Videos should be no longer than three minutes, made in English or French (OECD’s two official languages), and submitted by midnight (Paris, France time) on 1 March 2011: www.oecd.org/videocontest

OECD Subscription Prices for 2011: Prices

OECD publications will be on exhibit at the following events in the coming months:

• SLA-Arabian Gulf Chapter – 17th Annual Conference & Exhibition, 8-10 March, - Al Bustan Palace Intercontinental, Muscat, Oman
• Computers in Libraries 2011, 21-23 March 2011, Washington, DC, USA
• Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL), 30 March - 2 April 2011, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
• Deutscher Bibliothekartag, 7-10 June 2011, Berlin, Germany
• Special Libraries Association, 12-15 June 2011, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
• American Libraries Association, 23-28 June 2011, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
• Österreichischer Bibliothekartag, 18-21 October, Innsbruck, Austria
  

AGRICULTURE/FOOD/FISHERIES

Challenges for Agricultural Research: Book on Online Bookshop | Book on OECD iLibrary

Practical Considerations in Using Bioeconomic Modelling for Rebuilding Fisheries: Working paper

Evolution of Agricultural Support in Real Terms in OECD Countries and Emerging Economies: Working Paper

Food prices: tackle volatility with better functioning markets, says OECD’s Gurría: Press release

Forthcoming
-The Economics of Adapting Fisheries to Climate Change: Book listing

BUSINESS & MARKETS

Corporate Governance in Chile: Book on Online Bookshop | Book on OECD iLibrary

OECD Banking Statistics: Methodological Country Notes 2010: Book on Online Bookshop | Book on OECD iLibrary

Central Asia: More diversified and competitive economies would attract investors, says Central Asia Competitiveness Outlook: Key Findings (PDF - 1.13 mb. Full book to be published soon)

Systemic Financial Risks - background paper for OECD's Future Global Shocks project: Paper (PDF - 1.13 mb)

Housing: Better policies will promote economic growth says "Housing the Economy: Policies for Renovation", to be published in the forthcoming Economic Policy Reform 2011: Going for Growth: Press release | Book on Online Bookshop | Article (PDF - 879 kb) Article to appear on OECD iLibrary shortly.

Forthcoming
-The Impact of the Financial Crisis on the Insurance Sector and Policy Responses: Book listing
-Risk Awareness, Capital Markets and Catastrophic Risks: Book listing
-Competitiveness and Private Sector Development: Kazakhstan 2010: Sector Competitiveness Strategy: Book listing

DEVELOPMENT

The Development Assistance Committee: Fifty Years, Fifty Highlights: Report (PDF 920 kb)

Officical Development Assistance contract opportunities: Website

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS

Swedish economy on track but long-term unemployment a problem says OECD Economic Survey: Sweden 2011: Press release | Book announcement | Book on Online Bookshop | Book on OECD iLibrary

Well functioning housing markets are key for stability and growth: Press release | Report (PDF - 879 kb)

Time is opportune for reforms to boost growth and reduce inequality in Colombia says OECD assessment: Announcement | Report (PDF - 908 kb) It has not yet been decided whether this will become an OECD Economic Survey or not; it is not as detailed as regular Economic Surveys and has not been through the peer review process.

OECD’s Gurría welcomes Spain's pension reform plan: Press release

OECD Economics Department Working Papers:

-No. 837: The Price Responsiveness of Housing Supply in OECD Countries
-No. 836: Housing Markets and Structural Policies in OECD Countries
-No. 835: Raising Potential Growth after the Crisis
-No. 834: The GDP Impact of Reform: A Simple Simulation Framework
-No. 833: Improving the Flexibility of the Dutch Housing Market to Enhance Labour Mobility
-No. 832: Making the Dutch Pension System Less Vulnerable to Financial Crises
-No. 831: Real House Prices in OECD Countries
-No. 830: International Financial Integration and the External Positions of Euro Area Countries
-No. 829: Improving Fiscal Performance Through Fiscal Councils
-No. 828: Minimising Risks from Imbalances in European Banking
-No. 827: Resolving and Avoiding Unsustainable Imbalances in the Euro Area
-No. 826: Current Account Imbalances in the Euro Area
-No. 825: Does Fiscal Decentralisation Strengthen Social Capital?
-No. 824: Fiscal Decentralisation and Public Investment
-No. 823: Product Market Regulation and Competition in China

Forthcoming
-OECD Economic Surveys: Slovenia 2011: Book listing

ECONOMIC STATISTICS

OECD changes the way it publishes statistical periodicals. Starting with the January 2011 issue, Main Economic Indicators is being presented in a dynamic new format. On the OECD iLibrary, all 105 subject and country tables in each issue will be available in three formats: WEB, XLS and PDF. Each of the tables appears in the issue's online table of contents and is discoverable via the search mechanism, enabling the user to easily find, use and cite the data. See the issue: January 2011 MEI

OECD Statistics on International Trade in Services 2010, Volume I: Detailed Tables by Service Category: Book on Online Bookshop | Book on OECD iLibrary

Measuring the Progress of Societies: Wikiprogress Newsletter No. 8 includes articles on the Human Development Report, the Multidimensional Poverty Index, Slovenian reflections on measuring progress, Turning statistics into knowledge in Africa, Measuring Australia's progress, and the Sustainable Society Index. Newsletter (PDF - 1.14 mb)

Higher energy prices push OECD annual inflation rate up to 2.1%: Press release

Forthcoming:
-National Accounts at a Glance 2010: Book listing

EDUCATION

Educationtoday: OECD's collaborative space to help shape the post-crisis economy and society: Educationtoday

Forthcoming
-Strong Performers and Successful Reformers in Education: Lessons from PISA for the United States: Book listing
-Reviews of National Policies for Education: Kyrgyz Republic 2010 Lessons from PISA: Book listing
-Higher Education in Regional and City Development: The Galilee, Israel: Book Listing

EMPLOYMENT & SOCIAL AFFAIRS

Short-time work schemes had an economically important impact on preserving jobs during the downturn, says "The Role of Short-Time Work Schemes during the 2008-09 Recession": Working paper.

Social Unrest - background paper for OECD's Future Global Shocks project: Paper (PDF - 1.23 mb)

Forthcoming
-Pensions at a Glance 2011: Retirement Income Systems in OECD and G20 Countries: Book listing

ENERGY

Chinks in the chain: What causes disruptions to the supply of oil? Information

Development of Energy Efficiency Indicators in Russia: Working Paper

Energy Transition for Industry: India and the Global Context: Working Paper

New report gives green light to the feasibility of halving carbon emissions from new cars by 2030: Press release | Report (PDF - 3.29 mb)

ENVIRONMENT

Forthcoming
-Greening Household Behaviour: Book listing
-Environmental Impacts of International Shipping: The Role of Ports: Book listing

HEALTH

Pandemics - background paper for OECD's Future Global Shocks project: Paper (PDF - 2.51 mb)

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY

Reducing Systemic Cybersecurity Risk - background paper for OECD's Future Global Shocks project: Paper (PDF - 1.45 mb) This report recently received news coverage. The final Future Global Shocks book won't come until later in the year.

Geomagnetic Storms - background paper for OECD's Future Global Shocks project: Paper (PDF - 1.87 mb)

NUCLEAR ENERGY

Shielding Aspects of Accelerators, Targets and Irradiation Facilities - SATIF 10: Workshop Proceedings, Geneva, Switzerland 2-4 June 2010: Book on Online Bookshop | Book on OECD iLibrary

Nuclear Law Bulletin, Volume 2010, Issue 2: Subscribe to Journal on Online Bookshop | Issue on OECD iLibrary

PUBLIC MANAGEMENT

OECD Territorial Reviews: Switzerland 2011: Press release | Book announcement | Book on Online Bookshop | Book on OECD iLibrary

OECD Rural Policy Reviews: England, United Kingdom 2010: Book on Online Bookshop | Book on OECD iLibrary

Anticipating Extreme Events - background paper for OECD's Future Global Shocks project: Paper (PDF - 1.34 mb)

Forthcoming:
-Lobbyists, Governments and Public Trust, Volume 2: Promoting Integrity through Self-Regulation: Book listing
-Asia Asset Declarations for Public Officials: A Tool to Prevent Corruption: Book listing
-Cutting Red Tape: Administrative Simplification in Viet Nam: Book listing

SCIENCE , TECHNOLOGY & INDUSTRY

Workforce Skills and Innovation: An Overview of Major Themes in the Literature: Working Paper

Geomagnetic Storms - background paper for OECD's Future Global Shocks project: Paper (PDF - 1.87 mb)

SMEs & ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Joining the LEED Partners' Cub: Become a member of the LEED's worldwide network of sub-national governments, development and research agencies, business organisations, private sector entities and foundations. Announcement

TAXATION

Tax: Laws in some countries do not meet global standards. The Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax purposes, hosted by the OECD, has released ten reports which evaluate jurisdictions’ commitment to tax transparency and examine whether information is made available and accessible to foreign tax authorities. These reports follow eight others released in September 2010 and listed in the December 15 2010 What's New: Press Release

Phase 1 Reviews

• Barbados: Book on Online Bookshop | Book on OECD iLibrary
• Guernsey: Book on Online Bookshop | Book on OECD iLibrary
• The Seychelles: Book on Online Bookshop | Book on OECD iLibrary
• San Marino: Book on Online Bookshop | Book on OECD iLibrary
• Trinidad and Tobago: Book on Online Bookshop | Book on OECD iLibrary

Combined Phase 1 and Phase 2 Reviews

• Australia: Book on Online Bookshop | Book on OECD iLibrary
• Denmark: Book on Online Bookshop | Book on OECD iLibrary
• Ireland: Book on Online Bookshop | Book on OECD iLibrary
• Mauritius: Book on Online Bookshop | Book on OECD iLibrary
• Norway: Book on Online Bookshop | Book on OECD iLibrary

Tax Administration in OECD and Selected Non-OECD Countries: Comparative Information Series: Report (PDF 4.77 mb)

TRADE

OECD Statistics on International Trade in Services 2010, Volume I: Detailed Tables by Service Category: Book on Online Bookshop | Book on OECD iLibrary

Quanitfying Regulatory Barriers to Services Trade. (this is an older paper that was only recently added to the iLibrary): Working Paper

TRANSPORTATION

Prizeworthy: Mobility Solutions that Put People First: 2011 Transport Achievement Award Call for Application: Announcement

Apply Now for the 2011 Young Researcher of the Year Award! (Transport Research Prize of International Transport Forum at the OECD): Announcement

Forthcoming
-Environmental Impacts of International Shipping: The Role of Ports: Book listing

FROM THE OECD FACTBLOG

Innovation shifting to emerging markets?
When China’s Tianhe-1A supercomputer with its peak speed of 2.57 petaflops was confirmed as the most powerful computer in the world in November 2010, outpacing the previous leader, the US XTC Jaguar, it was more than a breakthrough for computing. It was a further sign that the geography of global growth, which had already been shifting to emerging markets for quality manufacturing and some IT services, was on the move for knowledge and innovation as well.
Read more

FROM THE OECD INSIGHTS BLOG

Egyptian plan to evacuate cities
As regular readers know, that headline was a cheap trick to get you to read this. It actually refers to the 2010 laureate of the International Transport Forum’s Young Researcher of the Year Award. Hossam Abdelgawad, a 27-year-old Egyptian PhD-candidate from the University of Toronto, won the prize for a novel approach to the mass evacuation of major cities in case of a catastrophe. Whether you think what’s happening in Egypt just now is a catastrophe, a festival of the oppressed, or something else, depends on your personal point of view. What’s clear is that what started as protest movement inspired by people from similar backgrounds to Hossam Abdelgawad now has major economic and geopolitical repercussions. Read more

Between two worlds: A Chinese student in the US
On August 14, 2010, I boarded a 14-hour flight to America, leaving China for the first time. I had never been to America before, but people always said I would fit in, mainly because I argued with my teachers and insisted I wanted to be a filmmaker. So when I was 10, my parents had sent me to weekend classes taught by foreign tutors. After school I spent all my pocket money on pirated Hollywood DVDs and watched every episode of Friends. Soon I concluded that America was a rich and cool country with lots of kids like me. Read more

Governance in spotlight at Davos
Davos got under way this week. If you’re disappointed not to be going, you can at least console yourself by reflecting on all the money you’re saving – at least $71,000, says The New York Times! What will you be missing? Failures in global governance look set to be a key agenda item for movers and shakers at the Swiss mountain resort this year. What the World Economic Forum defines as “weak or inadequate global institutions, agreements or networks” is identified as one of two “cross-cutting global risks” in the latest edition of the forum’s Global Risks report. Read more

Property policies - Some renovation required
Spare a thought for Alison O’Riordan. In 2008, she “ploughed in head first” and paid an eye-watering €525,000 – about $700,000 – for an apartment in Dublin. Just two years later, as Irish property prices crashed, neighbouring apartments were fetching less than half that. As Ms. O’Riordan discovered, she was among the last to be sucked into the Irish property bubble: fewer than a dozen of the properties in the complex were sold. To buy or to rent? An agonising question, especially when you know that getting it wrong could seriously hurt your finances. But, as the recent crisis demonstrated, such decisions can have a much wider economic impact – look to how countries like Spain, Ireland and the United States are still coping with the hangover from property bubbles. That’s one reason why there’s increasing interest in how government policy can shape individuals’ housing decisions and reduce the harmful side-effects on the economy. A new paper from the OECD looks at a number of these issues, and argues for policies that would reduce volatility in home prices and provide greater flexibility for buyers and renters. Read more

Haiti earthquake: Independent evaluations needed
It has been called one of the worst disasters in human history. The earthquake that struck Haiti on 12 January 2010 saw destruction on an unprecedented scale. Some 230,000 people lost their lives and 300,000 more were injured. Over 1 million people were left homeless. In response, the international community mounted a massive humanitarian relief effort. The Red Cross, for instance, deployed the single largest country response in its 148 year history. People around the world gave millions in charitable donations and governments pledged $5.8 billion for relief and recovery. And yet, as the world marks the one year commemoration, many of us are disappointed with the overall result. Over 800,000 people are still living in camps, and day-to-day conditions are extremely challenging for many Haitians. Journalists and experts in and outside of Haiti have criticised the United Nations, the donor community and NGOs for failing to improve conditions. Read more

What's gone wrong with microcredit?
Five years ago, microcredit was going to “put poverty in the museum”. The concept earned its creator, economist Muhammad Yunus, a Nobel prize and was hailed by aid workers, activists and journalists.  Today, microcredit – or the provision of small loans to some of the world’s poorest people – gets less glowing coverage: News stories report that it is in “crisis” or a “mess”, or “under siege”.  What’s gone wrong? Read more