TRADE PARTNERS' EDITION, 15 JANUARY 2011

Happy New Year!

HIGHLIGHTS

Life expectancy improving, health expenditure rising in Asia says Health at a Glance: Asia/Pacific 2010: Press Release | Book Announcement | Book on Online Bookshop | Book on OECD iLibrary Note: for now, this book is only available in PDF form.

OECD PUBLISHING NEWS

From Crisis to Recovery named "Book of the Month" in October by Global Foresights Books: Announcement

As part of its 50th Anniversary celebrations, OECD is having a video contest! See Insights Blog entry for more information.

OECD Subscription Prices for 2011: Prices

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

• 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

Food and agriculture: Policy responses to societal concerns: Workshop Proceedings (PDF 3.35 mb)

Decision-Making and Action Taking: Fisheries Management in a Changing Climate: Working Paper

Forthcoming
-Challenges for Agricultural Research: Book listing
-The Economics of Adapting Fisheries to Climate Change: Book listing

BUSINESS & MARKETS

Options to Improve the Governance and Investment of Japan's Government Pension Investment Fund: Working Paper

OECD and the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) announce partnership to help multinational companies operate responsibly: Announcement

OECD to help Mexico ministry tackle bid rigging for government contracts: Announcement

OECD urges Ukraine to put anti-corruption declarations into actions: Press release

Better coordination among authorities needed to tackle foreign bribery in Iceland, says OECD: Press release | Report (PDF - 409 kb)

FATF Mutual Evaluation of Argentina: Report (PDF - 2.28 mb)

Money Laundering Using New Payment Methods: FATF Report (PDF- 1.99 mb)

Money Laundering Using Trusts and Company Service Providers: FATF Report (PDF - 1.49 mb)

Forthcoming
-OECD Banking Statistics: Methodological Country Notes 2010: Book listing
-Corporate Governance in Chile: Book listing
-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

Development Assistance Committee launches new website: Website

DACnews, December 2010 features articles on new website, Eckhard Deutscher stepping down as DAC Chair, growth and development, the Cancun Climate Change Conference, achieving Millennium Development Goals, the Road to Busan, and Due Diligence for Clean Minerals: Newsletter

New Zealand plans sharp increase in aid funding: Announcement

India hosts OECD Forum on Public Finance: Announcement

Are working remittances relevant for credit rating agencies? Working Paper (PDF 1.4 mb)

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS

Spain emerging from recession but broad reforms needed says OECD Economic Survey: Spain 2010: Press Release | Book Announcement | Book on Online Bookshop | Book on OECD iLibrary

OECD Economics Department Working Papers:

-No. 822: Reforming China's Monetary Policy Framework to Meet Domestic Objectives
-No. 823: Product Market Regulation and Competition in China
-No. 824: Fiscal Decentralisation and Public Investment
-No. 825: Does Fiscal Decentralisation Strengthen Social Capital?
-No. 826: Current Account Imbalances in the Euro Area
-No. 827: Resolving and Avoiding Unsustainable Imbalances in the Euro Area
-No. 828: Minimising Risks from Imbalances in European Banking
-No. 829: Improving Fiscal Performance Through Fiscal Councils
-No. 830: International Financial Integration and the External Positions of Euro Area Countries
-No. 831: Real House Prices in OECD Countries

Forthcoming
-OECD Economic Surveys: Sweden 2011: Book listing
-OECD Economic Surveys: Slovenia 2011: Book listing

ECONOMIC STATISTICS

Unit Labour Costs grow slowly in most OECD countries during third quarter: Press release

OECD annual inflation rate eases slightly to 1.8% in November 2010: Press Release

OECD unemployment rate holds steady at 8.6% in November: Press release

Composite leading indicators show new growth momentum: Press release

Investment slowdown weakens OECD GDP growth in the third quarter of 2010: Press release

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

EDUCATION

The Case for 21st Century Learning: Article by Andreas Schleicher

Higher Education Management and Policy, Volume 22 Issue 3 includes articles on project economy approaches, multidimensional ranking, the global impact of the financial crisis, sustaining leadership, government funding as leverage for quality teaching, and skills and offshoring: Journal on Online Bookshop | Issue on OECD iLibrary

IMHE Info, the newsletter of the OECD Programme on Institutional Management in Higher Education, December 2010 includes articles on the IMHE General Conference, Raise Your Hand, the OECD Education Ministerial, Education at a Glance 2010, Quality Teaching, Higher education in regional and city development, Managing Internationalisation, and AHELO: Newsletter (PDF - 2.45 mb)

Higher Education in Regions Newsletter, January 2011 reports on Seville conference: Newsletter

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

Japan should enroll non-regulars in social insurances, ease access to welfare, extend activation measures, says OECD in Activation Policies in Japan: Working paper

International Migrants in Developed, Emerging and Developing Countries: Working paper

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

ENERGY

Climate Change Talks: The Road to Durban: Assessment

High oil prices pose threat to global economic recovery: Press Release

Global surge of activity follows successful production of ‘unconventional’ gas in US: Report

Global Energy Efficiency Governance study released: Announcement

IEA Oil Market Report, December 2010: OMR

ENVIRONMENT

OECD Speaks Out at Cancun!
- How to assure necessary financing for tacking climate change
- Climate Change: Yes We Can!
- Fighting Climate Change: What Would Be Our Legacy?
- Climate Change: What can Cancun Do?
- Cancun Should, Cancun Must, Cancun Can!

Valuation of Environment-Related Health Risks for Children: Book on Online Bookshop | Book on OECD iLibrary

PFCs: Outcome of the 2009 survey: Survey on the production, use and release of PFOS, PFAS, PFOA PFCA, their related substances and products/mixtures containing these substances: Website with reports

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

HEALTH

Life expectancy improving, health expenditure rising in Asia says Health at a Glance: Asia/Pacific 2010: Press Release | Book Announcement | Book on Online Bookshop | Book on OECD iLibrary Note: for now, this book is only available in PDF form.

Valuation of Environment-Related Health Risks for Children: Book on Online Bookshop | Book on OECD iLibrary

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY

OECD Broadband Statistics: Update

NUCLEAR ENERGY

NEA Monthly News Bulletin, January 2011 features articles on a meeting on reversability of decisions and retrievability of waste from repositories, meetings on nuclear safety and regulation, and NEA Nuclear Data Week. Newsletter

Nuclear Energy in Perspective: Nuclear Energy and Addressing Climate Change: Policy Brief (PDF - 761 kb)

PUBLIC MANAGEMENT

Budget deficits: What governments are doiing: Webpage

Centralised Purchasing Systems in the European Union: Working Paper

Forthcoming:
-Lobbyists, Governments and Public Trust, Volume 2: Promoting Integrity through Self-Regulation: Book listing
-OECD Territorial Reviews: Switzerland 2011: Book listing
-OECD Rural Policy Reviews: England, United Kingdom 2010: 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

Performance-based Funding for Public Research in Tertiary Education Institutions: Workshop Proceedings: Book on Online Bookshop | Book on OECD iLibrary

OECD Patent Database - January 2011 update: View data on OECD iLibrary

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

TRADE

Agreement in principle reached on export credits for commercial aircraft: Announcement

TRANSPORTATION

Stimulating Low-Carbon Vehicle Technologies: Book on Online Bookshop | Book on OECD iLibrary

Subsidising Alternative Fuels: Right or wrong, Short or Long? Blog entry (Scroll down)

Financing Transport Infrastructure: Transport's Double Squeeze: Blog entry

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

FROM THE OECD FACTBLOG

Are today's students prepared for tomorrow's economy?
The OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), evaluates the quality, equity and efficiency of school systems in some 70 countries that, together, make up 90% of the world economy. By testing between 4 500 and 10 000 15-year-old students in each country, OECD PISA provides an internationally standardised assessment and has become a powerful tool for countries wanting to improve their education systems. Read more

FROM THE OECD INSIGHTS BLOG

Banks, Bonuses and Basel
Smoothing his comb-over to a rakish angle, Vinnie settled his beer gut on the bar and waited for the chicks to come running. Not the most realistic introduction, I agree, but it’s less naïve than: “Realising that taxpayers would be paying for his greed and stupidity until the Universe started contracting again, the banker apologised sincerely and took steps to make sure it would never happen again”. In fact, as the FT reports, during questioning by a UK parliamentary committee, Bob Diamond, Barclays’ chief executive, said the time for “remorse and apology” by banks over their role in the financial crisis should end. That’s right, Bob, let’s try to achieve closure. The businesses that went bankrupt and people who shut the front door on their homes for the last time managed it, so why not the rest of us? Read more

A power to transform China's schools
The year 2011 promises to be an exciting one for education reform in China. Last July, the government unveiled its 10-year education development plan, planning more spending and advocating greater experimentation. Education expenditure usually hovers around 3% of Gross Domestic Product, but Beijing aims to now spend 4%. That’s lower than the average 6.2% for developed nations, but it’s still a significant increase. Beijing also promises more local autonomy, which should encourage more competition and diversity. Concrete action is already being taken. Read more

Can we still use the F-word?
Hi!™ You may have seen this article in Techcrunch at the end of the year claiming that F*book was trying to trademark the word “face”.  It seems they’ve got every right to try, in the US at least, according to the US Patent and Trademark Office’s list of current and pending trademarks. Read more

Disasters and the traps of poverty and wealth
We like to categorize disasters into two types – natural and man-made. 2011 has begun with massive flooding in agricultural regions of Northeast Australia causing shoppers to brace for the inevitable increase in food prices that will soon follow. Read more

It's the end of year quiz!
Bored with board games? Fed up with Holiday Specials on TV? Already sold your gifts on e-Bay? Really got nothing better to do? Try the Insights End of Year Quiz! You could win a major prize! Read more

Global wage growth cut in half
The only time I’ve had more money than I could spend was in Warsaw in the 1980s. You had to change a certain sum from hard currency into zlotys for each day on the visa, and though I like a nice tin of sardines or an attractive wood carving as much as the next man, the thrill starts to fade after a while. The latest ILO report on global wages doesn’t show the difference between the 1980s and now, but even taking 1999 as a baseline (= 100), real wages in Eastern and Central Europe rose by over half in the past ten years (index =161). For Eastern Europe and Central Asia, the rise is even greater, at 334, although for many of the countries included, this is because the baseline is so low. There was less progress elsewhere, especially in the advanced countries (index = 105) and Latin America and the Caribbean (index = 114). This positive trend doesn’t tell the whole story however. Read more