Reports

The Italian economy is innovative and rich in intellectual property (IP), with nearly every industry either producing or using IP. Italian IP-intensive industries are very well integrated in the global economy, through active participation in global value chains. At the same time, the threats of counterfeiting and piracy are growing – and Italy is vulnerable. This report measures the direct, economic effects of counterfeiting on Italian consumers, the Italian retail and manufacturing industry, and the Italian governments. It examines both the impact that the imports of fake products to Italy has on these three groups and the impact on the Italian intellectual property rights holders of the global trade in fake products that infringe their IP rights.

Italy needs to take prompt action to bolster growth and improve people’s skills across the country. As our economies adapt to globalisation, technological and demographic change, the demand for new and higher levels of skills increases. Yet Italy is struggling more than other advanced economies to meet these changing demands. Italy has launched a number of ambitious reforms to boost growth. But the reforms need to fully implement to ensure that schools, universities and workplaces equip all Italians with the skills needed for success in the economy and society. The OECD Skills Strategy Diagnostic Report makes a number of recommendations that will help sustain this positive momentum including, among others, to: Implement the Alternanza Scuola Lavoro (ASL) by training school principals and teachers to effectively engage employers in the design of work-based learning activities and increase incentives for firms to hire trainees. Expand and improve the quality of professional tertiary education institutions (ITS). Increase overall investment in tertiary education Subsidise training programmes that target low-skilled adults who often face difficulties in accessing such opportunities. Increase public and private investment in skills and improve how they are allocated through monitoring and evaluation. Improve the governance system to ensure that skills polices are aligned and coordinated.

This report identifies effective strategies to tackle skills imbalances in Italy. It provides an assessment of practices and policies in the following areas: the collection and use of information on skill needs to foster a better alignment of skills acquisitions with labour market needs; the design of education and training systems and their responsiveness to changing skill needs; the re-training of unemployed individuals; and the improvement of skills use and skills matching in the labour market. The assessment is based on country visits, desk research and data analysis conducted by the OECD Secretariat.

Under Action 14, jurisdictions have committed to implement a minimum standard to strengthen the effectiveness and efficiency of the mutual agreement procedure (MAP). The MAP is included in Article 25 of the OECD Model Tax Convention and commits countries to endeavour to resolve disputes related to the interpretation and application of tax treaties. The Action 14 Minimum Standard has been translated into specific terms of reference and a methodology for the peer review and monitoring process. The peer review process is conducted in two stages.  Stage 1 assesses jurisdictions against the terms of reference of the minimum standard according to an agreed schedule of review. Stage 2 focuses on monitoring the follow-up of any recommendations resulting from jurisdictions' stage 1 peer review report. This report reflects the outcome of the stage 1 peer review of the implementation of the Action 14 Minimum Standard by Italy.

This report identifies effective strategies to tackle skills imbalances, based on five country-specific policy notes for France, Italy, Spain, South Africa and the United Kingdom. It provides a comparative assessment of practices and policies in the following areas: the collection and use of information on skill needs to foster a better alignment of skills acquisitions with labour market needs; the design of education and training systems and their responsiveness to changing skill needs; the re-training of unemployed individuals; and the improvement of skills use and skills matching in the labour market. The assessment is based on country visits, desk research and data analysis conducted by the OECD secretariat in the five countries reviewed. Examples of good practice from other countries are also discussed.