Economic Surveys and Country Surveillance

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Towards better schools and more equal opportunities for learning in Italy

16-Oct-2009

Compulsory school education in Italy produces poor results in terms of 15 year olds’ performance on PISA tests, compared with other OECD countries, despite a relatively high level of expenditure.

Iceland: The financial and economic crisis

16-Oct-2009

The global financial and economic crisis has struck Iceland with extreme force. Iceland’s three main banks, accounting for almost all of the banking system, failed in October 2008. They were unable to resist the deterioration in global financial markets following the failure of Lehman Brothers.

Iceland: Challenging times for monetary and fiscal policies

16-Oct-2009

Monetary and fiscal policies face huge challenges: the banking sector has collapsed; the economy is in the midst of a deep recession; the exchange rate has plunged; capital flows have been frozen; inflation is elevated; public debt has risen; source of revenues have disappeared; social needs have increased; and the unemployment insurance fund has been nearly depleted.

Quickening the pace of reform will help strengthen EU economy post-crisis

21-Sep-2009

Strengthening innovation, deepening the single market and moving to a low carbon economy are among the areas where reform needs to be accelerated to strengthen long-term growth in the European Union after of the worst recession in 50 years, according to a new OECD report.

Economic Survey of Iceland 2009

02-Sep-2009

Iceland has entered its deepest recession in decades following the collapse of its major banks. They had pursued risky strategies, making them vulnerable in the global financial crisis. The authorities have adopted a stabilisation programme supported by an IMF Stand-By Arrangement. The crisis has highlighted the need to improve prudential supervision and the potential advantages of joining the euro area, which would enable Iceland to share the benefits of the ECB’s credibility.

The challenge of restoring French competitiveness

11-Aug-2009

The lack of competitiveness is more often a symptom than the cause of one or more underlying economic weaknesses. What is called for, then, is a comprehensive policy response that addresses the sources of the competitiveness problem, rather than targeted interventions designed directly to remedy the growing trade deficit.

Improving the functioning of the Slovenian labour market

07-Aug-2009

Labour market outcomes have improved markedly in the past years as the beneficial effects of the economic upswing were reinforced by important structural reforms. With the economy on the verge of a severe economic downturn, it is important to avoid alleviating measures that adversely affect the functioning of the labour market in the long run.




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Economic Survey of Denmark 2009


Economic Survey of Ireland 2009