9th Global Forum on Competition

from 18-Feb-2010 to 19-Feb-2010

Taking place in Paris on 18-19 February, the 9th OECD Global Forum on Competition will focus on competition, state aids and subsidies, as well as on collusion and corruption in public procurement. Participants will also discuss a peer review of competition law and policy in Brazil. The new EU Commissioner for Competition, Mr. Joaquín Almunia, will make a keynote speech on competition policy, state aids and subsidies at the opening session.

Accountability and Transparency Guide for State Ownership

02-Feb-2010

One priority in implementing the OECD Guidelines on Corporate Governance of SOEs is to ensure a high quality of transparency and accountability. This new Guide will facilitate the practical implementation of the OECD Guidelines in this area by evaluating existing practices and providing viable policy options, giving many specific examples.

OECD supports the Spanish government’s pension reform proposal

02-Feb-2010

The Spanish government announced on Friday 29th of January, its intention of postponing the retirement age from 65 to 67 and to increase the number of contribution years  used to calculate pension benefits. The OECD believes that these measures are important steps in the right direction. (Leer en espanol)

La OCDE apoya la reciente propuesta gubernamental para reformar el sistema de pensiones

02-Feb-2010

El gobierno español anunció el viernes pasado su intención de elevar la edad oficial de jubilación de 65 a 67 años, y de aumentar el numero de años necesario para calcular la pensión. La OCDE considera muy positivas dichas medidas.

US: Obama plan for banks can help to avoid a new financial crisis

25-Jan-2010

U.S. President Barack Obama’s plans for financial reform could help to avoid a new financial crisis by resolving some major risks inherent to the current financial system, according to OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría.

The Elephant in the Room: The Need to Deal with What Banks Do

08-Jan-2010

A fundamental reassessment of banks’ business models is needed to properly address contagion risk and counterparty failure that have been the main hallmarks of the current crisis. This is ‘the elephant in the room’ that most policy makers and bankers are trying to ignore. The issue of ‘too big to fail’ is less an issue of size and more a question of what banks actually do. The paper explains why a firewalled non-operating holding company structure is an essential complement to the imposition of leverage ratio if contagion and counterparty risk are to be contained in financial conglomerates.

Responding to the crisis: OECD governments are coping with exploding borrowing needs

07-Jan-2010

Most OECD governments are facing a surge in budget deficits, borrowing needs and debt. A new article (The Surge in Borrowing Needs of OECD Governments ) projects that gross borrowing needs of OECD governments are expected to reach around  USD 16 trillion in 2009 and 2010. An accompanying article (Changes in OECD Primary Market Procedures and Portfolio Risk Management ) shows that tougher issuance conditions prompted debt management offices to review existing issuance procedures and the use of indicators relating to the key risks of the maturity structure.

Israel should ensure that remaining concerns do not undermine its progress on foreign bribery, says OECD

16-Dec-2009

Israel should be more proactive in detecting, investigating and prosecuting foreign bribery cases, notably those involving the defence industry, according to a new report by the OECD Working Group on Bribery.

Governments agree to step up fight against bribery

09-Dec-2009

OECD countries and the eight others who have signed the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention have committed to stepping up their fight against corruption, putting in place new measures that will reinforce their efforts to prevent, detect and investigate foreign bribery.

International investment collapses in 2009, says OECD

08-Dec-2009

International mergers and acquisitions are forecast to decline by 56% in 2009 compared with 2008, the largest year-on-year decline since 1995. This estimate is based on OECD analysis of data for international M&A activity up to 26 November 2009. The full report is available here.

India needs to cut red tape, spend more on infrastructure in order to boost growth

04-Dec-2009

India needs to strengthen and liberalise its regulatory framework and invest more in infrastructure in order to attract increased foreign direct investment (FDI), according to a new OECD report.

OECD sets out framework for overhaul of financial regulation

03-Dec-2009

The OECD has established a set of key principles to guide financial policy makers as they look to fundamental reform that will achieve strong, resilient financial systems that play their part in driving economic growth. 

Finance, business and the crisis

Read about OECD efforts to help governments improve the domestic and global policies that affect business and markets in the wake of the global economic crisis.