Responding to the crisis: what are OECD countries doing to strengthen their public finances?

OECD countries are intensifying their fiscal consolidation efforts, introducing additional measures and extending the time horizon to implement them. Most have announced fiscal consolidation of more than 3% of GDP over the period 2009-15, according to the OECD’s Restoring Public Finances 2012.

Agua en América Latina y el Caribe: Mejor gobernabilidad puede mejorar el acceso, dice la OCDE

En países latinoamericanos, la población crece a un ritmo mayor que el promedio mundial, lo cual intensifica el uso de la tierra y aumenta la urbanización. La región también es propensa a los impactos negativos del cambio climático y de los desastres naturales.

Economic Outlook to be released Tuesday 27 November 2012

The OECD will publish its latest Economic Outlook, containing analysis and projections for its member countries and other major world economies, at 11.00 a.m. Paris time (10.00 GMT) on Tuesday 27 November 2012.

Nuevas políticas para PYMES se requieren para impulsar el crecimiento en América Latina, según la OCDE y la CEPAL

Aunque las perspectivas permanecen relativamente positivas, están sujetas a la incertidumbre y volatilidad del contexto externo, por lo que los gobiernos de América Latina deben actuar ahora para fortalecer el crecimiento y desarrollo de la región y contrarrestar estos riesgos, señala el informe Perspectivas económicas de América Latina 2013 producido conjuntamente por el Centro de Desarrollo de la OCDE y la CEPAL.

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• New SME policies needed to boost Latin America's growth, say OECD and ECLAC

Health spending in Europe falls for the first time in decades

Health spending fell across the European Union in 2010, as cash-strapped governments curbed outlays to help cut budgetary deficits, according to Health at a Glance: Europe 2012, a new joint report by the OECD and the European Commission.

New SME policies needed to boost Latin America's growth, say OECD and ECLAC

Latin American governments must act now to strengthen growth and development and counter these risks, according to the 2013 Latin American Economic Outlook, jointly produced by the OECD Development Centre and ECLAC.

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• Nuevas políticas para PYMES se requieren para impulsar el crecimiento en América Latina, según la OCDE y la CEPAL

Public social spending rising in most OECD countries

Public social spending has increased to 22% of GDP on average across the OECD in 2012, up from 19% in 2007. Rising spending-to-GDP ratios are due to a combination of governments increasing expenditure on social supports as unemployment and income support benefits but also because of GDP stagnating or declining in many countries.

Global Forum on Public Governance: Better Governance for Inclusive Growth

The financial and economic crises demonstrate that most governments need to change the way they run their countries. Though some have a better track record of reform than others, all can do more to create inclusive, open and responsible governance that can reduce inequality and promote economic growth.

Latin America: Tax revenues are rising, but still low and varied among countries

Tax revenues in Latin American countries are lower as a proportion of their national incomes than in most OECD countries, but are rising slowly. Revenue Statistics in Latin America shows that the average tax revenue to GDP ratio in the 15 Latin American countries covered by the report increased from 19% in 2009 to 19.4% in 2010, after falling from a high point of 19.7% in 2008.

Health: men faring worse than women in hospitalisations for diabetes

New OECD data show that men are more likely to be admitted to hospital as a result of poor management of diabetes than women, even when there are no significant differences in the number of men and women living with diabetes.