OECD Member Economies

News & Events

News

The euro changeover in the Slovak Republic: Implications for inflation and interest rates

18-Jul-2008

An informal EDRC seminar took place on 9 July 2008, focussing on the implications of euro adoption for inflation and interest rates in the Slovak Republic, based on the experience of existing euro area countries.

Coping with labour shortages: How to bring outsiders back to the labour market

10-Jul-2008

The Dutch labour market is functioning well, with employment and labour participation rates above OECD averages. Reintegrating benefit recipients would help to reduce spending on labour market programmes, which is among the highest in the OECD.

Achieving sustainability of the energy sector in Canada

30-Jun-2008

Energy represents a major sustainable development challenge for Canada. Efforts should be concentrated on designing and implementing an emissions trading scheme compatible with corresponding systems abroad. Effective and efficient systems of regulation and taxation are essential to facilitate the timely realisation of energy supply plans.

The Dutch tax-benefit system and life-cycle employment: outcomes and reform options

20-Jun-2008

An overlapping-generations model with search unemployment is calibrated for the Netherlands to assess the impact of tax-benefit reforms on labour supply. Several reforms are analysed, in particular the introduction of a flat tax and pension reforms. The model demonstrates the potential of these reforms to raise labour supply.

Regulation, allocative efficiency and productivity in OECD countries: industry and firm-level evidence

13-Jun-2008

This paper relates diverging productivity performances across OECD countries over the past fifteen years to differences in the stringency of regulations in the product market.

Economic survey of Canada 2008: Macroeconomic policies for the end of a boom cycle

11-Jun-2008

Canada is a top OECD performer and has done remarkably well in boosting female employment, reducing unemployment, avoiding Dutch disease, and cutting the debt and tax burdens. Recent macroeconomic performance has been strong, and Canada is weathering the global financial crisis and slowdown as well as can be expected.

OECD Economic Survey of Finland

03-Jun-2008

The Finnish economy has been performing well but risks are mounting. Imbalances are building in the labour market and the wage negotiation framework needs to be overhauled. There is scope for improvement in the municipal sector as well as in tertiary education, and the tax mix could be made more efficient.

Economic Survey of the Czech Republic 2008

24-Apr-2008

Growth has picked up significantly in recent years, largely driven by expansion of manufactured exports. Nevertheless, structural reforms are required to put public households on a sustainable path in order to cope with population ageing and to avoid labour market bottlenecks limiting growth.

Economic survey of Ireland 2008: The housing market cycle has turned

16-Apr-2008

After many years of sustained growth, the housing market has slowed: house prices are falling and there has been a sharp reduction in the number of new homes being built. The exceptional rise in property values in recent years was largely driven by higher income and demographics, but did appear to overshoot the sustainable level. House prices may ease further and could even fall below their long-run value. Residential investment is experiencing a sharp slowdown. This will have some effect on wider economic activity.

Economic survey of Ireland 2008: Financial stability: banking on prudence

16-Apr-2008

Lending has been strong, with debt ratios reaching very high levels. The Central Bank and Financial Services Authority of Ireland (CBFSAI) had clearly identified the major vulnerabilities and taken action to mitigate them. The Irish banks are well-capitalised and profitable, which provides a cushion to weather the more difficult times ahead. This chapter reviews financial market developments, the actions by the CBFSAI and the new policy issues that have come to the fore with the financial market turmoil.




Top of page

Economic survey of Luxembourg 2008

Economic survey of Luxembourg 2008