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More competition key to future prosperity of Japan’s farm sector, says OECD report

Improving competitiveness is essential to the future prosperity of Japan’s agricultural sector, according to a new OECD report.

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• さらなる競争が日本の農業の将来的な発展の鍵である

Governments must do more to help most vulnerable amid rising unemployment, urges OECD

Governments must urgently adapt their labour market policies to help their most vulnerable citizens in the economic crisis.

OECD’s Taxing Wages shows small reduction in taxes on individual wage earners in 2008

Taxes on wage earners fell slightly in 2008 in many OECD countries, with Poland and Turkey showing the biggest drop for an unmarried person earning the average wage, according to the OECD’s annual Taxing Wages publication.

African Economic Outlook (AEO) 2008/9

The 2009 Outlook covers 47 African countries, up from 35 last year. The report finds the region gravely affected by the global economic downturn. Following half a decade of above 5 per cent economic growth, the continent can expect only 2.8 per cent in 2009.

Schools must do more to motivate tomorrow’s scientists, OECD study shows

Across OECD countries, close to 40% of high-school students who come top in science subjects have no interest in pursuing a science-related career, while almost 45% do not want to continue studying science, according to a new OECD report.

Tax haven crackdown will benefit developing countries, says OECD’s Gurría

A crackdown on tax havens and cross-border tax evasion will help developing countries to raise more revenues to pay for much-needed schools, roads and hospitals, according to OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría. In an article published on the OECD’s website ahead of the 2009 spring meetings in Washington of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund, Mr. Gurría said improving the effectiveness of developing countries’

Coordination of export credit support agreed to help boost trade flows

Thirty-five countries have agreed to co-ordinate export credit support to help boost international trade and investment during the economic crisis. The OECD will host regular meetings to exchange information and monitor progress.

Australia should intervene quickly to avert a major rise in youth unemployment, says OECD

Young people are likely to be hit hard by rising unemployment as the global downturn continues.

OECD review of Ireland’s development co-operation

Ireland’s net official development assistance (ODA) was USD 1.3 billion in 2008, a 90% increase over 2003 in real terms. Ireland’s aid grew from 0.39% of gross national income in 2003 to 0.58% in 2008 during a period of exceptional national economic growth.

Bermuda signs eight new tax information agreements

Bermuda has signed 8 new tax information exchange agreements, with seven Nordic economies – Denmark, the Faroe Islands, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, and with New Zealand, bringing to 11 the number of such agreements it has entered into.