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  • Price, Robert  (29)
  • Høj, Jens  (25)
  • Paris : OECD Publishing  (54)
  • Paris
  • Economics  (54)
  • 1
    Language: English
    Pages: 1 Online-Ressource (25 p.) , 21 x 28cm.
    Series Statement: OECD Economics Department Working Papers no.1767
    Keywords: Economics ; Slovenia
    Abstract: This paper provides evidence on the effects of digitalisation on the labour market in Slovenia using a unique dataset of Slovenian workers and firms for the years 2016 to 2020. Results show that at the firm level, digitalisation – measured in terms of ICT investment, is associated with positive and statistically significant effects on employment. However, job growth is not evenly distributed: High-skilled workers and younger workers benefit the most from employment gains, whereas there is little to no employment increases for low- and medium-skilled workers and older workers aged 50 or more. Furthermore, employment effects from digitalisation are strongest for private manufacturing firms. In contrast, ICT investment by state-owned firms is not associated with employment gains.
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  • 2
    Language: English
    Pages: 1 Online-Ressource (27 p.) , 21 x 28cm.
    Series Statement: OECD Economics Department Working Papers no.1766
    Keywords: Economics ; Slovenia
    Abstract: This paper provides evidence on the impact of digitalisation on productivity in Slovenia during the COVID-19 crisis. The pandemic affected overall labour productivity negatively. Nonetheless, results show that firms that were more ICT-intensive before the pandemic experienced a smaller decline in their labour productivity growth compared to their less ICT-intensive peers in the same 2-digit level sector. This resilience effect was strongest for firms that are integrated in global value chains. A second finding is that COVID-19 resulted in productivity-enhancing reallocation of labour to ICT-intensive firms, reflecting that these firms registered higher employment growth relative to their less ICT-intensive peers during the pandemic. A third finding is that high levels of state ownership in a sector was associated with less productivity-enhancing reallocation. This suggests that state-owned enterprises retained workers that could be redirected to more productive firms. Together, these findings highlight the potential of digitalisation to support resilience and stronger productivity growth, although labour market rigidities and state ownership hamper the positive impact of digitalisation.
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  • 3
    Language: English
    Pages: 1 Online-Ressource (18 p.)
    Series Statement: OECD Economics Department Working Papers no.1658
    Keywords: Economics
    Abstract: This paper aims at investigating the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the automotive sector in Central and Eastern Europe. It details the effects of the pandemic and subsequent lockdown measures on the activity in the sector. It also discusses the prospects for car sales in the short to medium run, potential spillover effects in the region, and new risks to the supply chains posed by the pandemic. It shows that disruptions to the supply chains had limited impact so far and that the sector has been mainly affected by low level of demand. Going forward, the pandemic might have a significant negative impact on investment capacity, while the transition to alternative powertrains and the digital transformation of the industry require large investment and restructuring. The long-term impact on CEE economies is highly uncertain, but will depend on the capacity to maintain a comparative advantage, while the sector transforms deeply.
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  • 4
    Language: English
    Pages: Online-Ressource (52 p.)
    Series Statement: OECD Economics Department Working Papers no.1174
    Keywords: Taxation ; Economics
    Abstract: This paper estimates the elasticities of government revenue and expenditure items with respect to the output gap for European Union (EU) countries. These elasticities are used by the European Commission, as part of the EU fiscal surveillance process, to calculate the semi-elasticity of the budget balance as a percentage of GDP with respect to the output gap. The study updates the earlier 2005 study of OECD economies using the most recent datasets and tax codes, the coverage being confined in this paper to the 28 EU member states, seven of which are not OECD members. The same basic two-step methodology is retained: revenue and expenditure elasticities with respect to the output gap being defined as the product of, first, the elasticities of individual revenue and expenditure items with respect to their bases and, second, the elasticities of these bases with respect to the output gap. A number of refinements and methodological improvements are made relative to the 2005 study. The revisions to individual elasticities relative to the 2005 vintage are significant in a number of cases but do not follow a clear pattern across countries, except for the elasticities of corporate income tax revenue which are revised up in most cases.
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  • 5
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    Online Resource
    Paris : OECD Publishing
    Language: English
    Pages: 40 p. , 21 x 29.7cm
    Series Statement: OECD Economics Department Working Papers no.832
    Keywords: Economics ; Netherlands
    Abstract: The Dutch occupational pension system has been successful in securing high asset accumulation to fund generous pension promises. However, for the second time in this decade the pension system has been affected by a financial crisis and many pension funds’ assets fell below levels needed to meet regulatory requirements. Insufficient funding raises solvency issues, which could eventually lead to large fiscal costs in case of bail-outs. In response to the crisis, most funds were required by the regulator to draw up recovery plans to restore their funding over five years. This has raised concerns that the adjustment required by the regulator is unnecessarily sharp, with possibly adverse macroeconomic implications. On the other hand, OECD simulations indicate that under current policies, it is unlikely that funding rates will be secured that enable the funds over the long term to fulfil their promises of a replacement rate of up to 80% of average wages. This raises the challenge of implementing parametric changes that secure pension benefits without large detrimental effects on intergenerational equity and growth. Occupational pensions are transferable, which enhances labour market mobility. But it is often very difficult for workers to assess how one pension scheme compares to another, posing practical barriers to mobility that should be eased. This Working Paper relates to the 2010 OECD Economic Survey of the Netherlands (www.oecd.org/eco/surveys/ netherlands).
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  • 6
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    Online Resource
    Paris : OECD Publishing
    Language: English
    Pages: 32 p. , 21 x 29.7cm
    Series Statement: OECD Economics Department Working Papers no.833
    Keywords: Economics ; Netherlands
    Abstract: The housing market figures among the main determinants of labour mobility, as households seldom make employment and housing decisions independently of each other. This interdependence is likely to strengthen as the cost of commuting increases, due to worsening road congestion or measures that would raise fuel prices, for example to counter global warming. The Dutch housing market is more rigid than in many other OECD countries, as the result of numerous government interventions. Boosting labour mobility by easing rigidities would improve labour resource utilisation, which will be especially important as the labour force contracts with ageing. The rental sector could be made more attractive and flexible by dismantling strict rent regulation and rigid allocation mechanisms in the social housing sector. Lowering tax incentives to homeowners would improve the allocation of scarce capital and reduce house prices. Easing strict land-use and zoning regulation would increase the supply of all types of housing, reducing prices and allowing the housing stock to adjust better to residents’ needs. This Working Paper relates to the 2010 OECD Economic Survey of the Netherlands (www.oecd.org/eco/surveys/ netherlands).
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  • 7
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    Online Resource
    Paris : OECD Publishing
    Language: English
    Pages: 44 p. , 21 x 29.7cm
    Series Statement: OECD Economics Department Working Papers no.776
    Keywords: Economics
    Abstract: This paper explores the political economy of fiscal adjustment. It begins with an examination of the evidence for, and sources of, ‘deficit bias’, including political and governance factors, public attitudes, the role of financial markets and imprecision about which debt targets should be pursued. It then examines the evidence regarding the exogenous and policy-related factors which affect the success of fiscal consolidation efforts. This is followed by a discussion of the role of fiscal institutions, including fiscal rules and autonomous agencies. The final section considers how the political economy of fiscal policy has changed with the financial crisis, giving some indications as to what may be needed to re-establish a consolidation path and make it less prone to setbacks.
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  • 8
    Language: French
    Pages: 33 p. , 21 x 29.7cm
    Series Statement: OECD Economics Department Working Papers no.660
    Parallel Title: Parallelausg. Can the Financial Sector continue to be the Main Growth Engine in Luxembourg?
    Keywords: Economics ; Luxembourg
    Abstract: Le secteur financier a été le principal moteur de l'économie au cours des deux dernières décennies. Les avantages comparatifs du Luxembourg en matière d'activités financières résident essentiellement dans le caractère évolutif de son cadre législatif et réglementaire ainsi que dans le faible niveau de sa fiscalité. En conséquence, le Luxembourg est aujourd'hui un des principaux centres internationaux pour les fonds d'investissement. Au-delà des effets directs et indirects de ce secteur d'activité sur l'emploi, sa retombée la plus importante est l'ampleur des recettes fiscales qu'il permet aux pouvoirs publics d'engranger, puisqu'il représente directement plus de 20 % de l'ensemble des rentrées d'impôts. Cela dit, ces recettes fiscales sont très fluctuantes, dans la mesure où ce secteur est extrêmement sensible à l'évolution des marchés de capitaux internationaux. De fait, les contractions intervenues par le passé sur ces marchés ont eu tendance à entraîner un net ralentissement de la croissance de l'économie luxembourgeoise ainsi que des revenus du secteur financier, ce qui laisse à penser que les risques associés aux turbulences financières internationales actuelles sont très substantiels. Au-delà de ces considérations à court terme, le taux de croissance tendanciel du secteur va probablement diminuer à moyen terme. Les principales activités du secteur sont les prestations d'administration financière correspondant aux services de suivi de marché et de postmarché, que les nouvelles technologies de l'information permettront de délocaliser de plus en plus. Par ailleurs, le secteur a des difficultés à attirer des spécialistes hautement qualifiés pour prendre pied dans le domaine plus rémunérateur des activités de service de clientèle. À plus long terme, la concurrence internationale continuera à exercer des pressions qui pourraient finir par remettre en cause la position du Luxembourg. L'ampleur du déclin de la croissance tendancielle du secteur financier dépendra de la capacité du Luxembourg à préserver et renforcer l'attrait qu'il exerce sur les investisseurs et les travailleurs. Pour ce faire, les autorités devront parvenir à adapter leurs politiques dans les domaines de la fiscalité, des infrastructures et du logement pour attirer des étrangers très compétents, tout en révisant la réglementation du secteur financier et en renforçant sa transparence.
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  • 9
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    Online Resource
    Paris : OECD Publishing
    Language: French
    Pages: 42 p. , 21 x 29.7cm
    Series Statement: OECD Economics Department Working Papers no.741
    Parallel Title: Parallelausg. How to Reform the Belgian Tax System to Enhance Economic Growth
    Keywords: Economics ; Belgium
    Abstract: Les éléments constitutifs du système fiscal belge influe sur le processus de croissance par des canaux différents et à des degrés divers. Les impôts sur la consommation sont parmi ceux qui faussent le moins la croissance et il est tout à fait possible, en Belgique, d’exploiter davantage cette source de recettes fiscales. La taxation différenciée des instruments d’épargne fausse les décisions d’investissement, entravant le redéploiement des capitaux vers leur emploi le plus productif. Cependant, les impôts qui occasionnent le plus de distorsions sont ceux qui frappent le revenu du travail, en raison de leur impact sur les décisions des travailleurs en matière d'emploi. Conscientes de cela, les autorités belges ont cherché à alléger la fiscalité du travail. Cette dernière demeure cependant lourde en comparaison des autres pays, en raison de nombreuses exonérations, qui réduisent les bases d’imposition et nécessitent donc, pour compenser, des taux d’impôt plus élevés. Afin d’améliorer les perspectives des différents groupes sur le marché du travail, on a eu recours largement à des subventions salariales et des réductions de cotisations de sécurité sociale, créant ainsi un système complexe, souvent mal ciblé et visant parfois des objectifs contradictoires. En fin de compte, l’interaction entre l’impôt sur le revenu des personnes physiques, les cotisations de sécurité sociale et le généreux système de prestations a créé une multitude de pièges du marché du travail qui brident l’emploi. Les nouvelles réformes fiscales sont limitées par les problèmes importants et grandissants de viabilité des finances publiques, ce qui signifie que, à moins de procéder à de fortes compressions de dépenses, ces réformes devront s’autofinancer. Pour ce faire, il faut déplacer la charge fiscale vers les sources qui créent le moins de distorsions et élargir les bases d’imposition afin de pouvoir appliquer des taux plus bas. Ce document de travail se rapporte à l’Étude économique de l’OCDE de la Belgique, 2009 (www.oecd.org/eco/etudes/belgique).
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  • 10
    Language: English
    Pages: 32 p. , 21 x 29.7cm
    Series Statement: OECD Economics Department Working Papers no.660
    Parallel Title: Parallelausg. Le secteur financier peut-il rester le principal moteur de la croissance au Luxembourg?
    Keywords: Economics ; Luxembourg
    Abstract: The financial sector has emerged as the main economic engine over the past two decades. The comparative advantages of placing financial activities in Luxembourg have mostly been in terms of an adaptive legislative and regulatory framework and low taxation. As a result, Luxembourg is today one of the main international centres for investment funds. Besides the sector’s direct and indirect employment effects, the most important effect is the large tax revenue generating capacity of the sector, accounting directly for over 20% of aggregate tax revenues. On the other hand, these tax revenues are volatile as the sector is highly sensitive to developments in international financial markets. Indeed, past downturns in international financial markets have tended to lead to a sharp slowdown of growth in the economy as well as in revenues, pointing to potential large risks associated with the current turmoil in international financial markets. Besides these short-term considerations, a lower trend growth rate of the sector is likely over the medium term. The main activities of the sector are in middle and back offices dealing with financial administration which, with new IT technologies, will tend to be increasingly outsourced. At the same time, the sector is having problems in attracting highly specialised talent to enter higher value front office activities. Over the longer term, international competition will continue to exert pressures that may eventually erode Luxembourg’s position. The extent of the decline in the sector’s trend growth depends on the ability to maintain and expand the attractiveness of investing and working in Luxembourg. Achieving this will depend on being able to adjust tax, infrastructure, and housing policies to attract foreign talent while updating and increasing the transparency of financial sector regulation.
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  • 11
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    Paris : OECD Publishing
    Language: English
    Pages: 38 p. , 21 x 29.7cm
    Series Statement: OECD Economics Department Working Papers no.741
    Parallel Title: Parallelausg. Comment réformer le système fiscal belge afin de renforcer l'expansion économique
    Keywords: Economics ; Belgium
    Abstract: Individual elements in Belgian tax system affect the growth process through different channels and to a varying degree. Consumption taxes are among the least distortive for growth, and there is considerable scope to increase the reliance on this tax source in Belgium. The Belgian differential taxation of saving vehicles distorts investment decisions, hampering the reallocation of capital towards its most productive use. However, the most distortive Belgian taxes are on labour through their effects on workers’ labour market decisions. Recognising the latter, the authorities have aimed at reducing taxation on labour. However, its level remains internationally high, reflecting numerous exemptions, which reduce tax bases and thus require higher tax rates than otherwise. To promote labour market prospects for individual groups on the labour market, wage subsidies and social security contribution reductions have been used extensively, leading to a complex system, often poorly targeted and at times subject to conflicting objectives. The end result is that the interaction between the personal income tax, the social security contributions, and the generous benefit systems has created a multitude of labour market traps which hold back employment. New tax reforms are constrained by the large and growing fiscal sustainability problem, implying that, unless substantial expenditure cuts are implemented, new tax reforms must be self-financed. This can be achieved by shifting the reliance of the tax system towards the least distortive sources and by broadening tax bases to allow lower tax rates. This Working Paper relates to the 2009 OECD Economic Survey of Belgium (www.oecd.org/eco/surveys/belgium).
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  • 12
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    Online Resource
    Paris : OECD Publishing
    In:  OECD journal: economic studies Vol. 2009, no. 1, p. 1-30
    ISSN: 1995-2856
    Language: English
    Pages: 30 p
    Titel der Quelle: OECD journal: economic studies
    Publ. der Quelle: Paris : Organisation for Economic Cooperation & Development, 2008
    Angaben zur Quelle: Vol. 2009, no. 1, p. 1-30
    Keywords: Economics
    Abstract: Influenced by the perceived link between higher levels of educational attainment and growth, the education sector has seen significant reform efforts in recent years in a number of countries. Public spending in this sector has increased on average by one-fifth in real terms over the past decade and growth in terms of spending per student has also been marked in many countries (Figure 1, upper panel); governments in the OECD area now spend on average around 3% of GDP on primary and secondary education. However, a close correspondence between the level of resources and educational outcomes is difficult to demonstrate empirically: cross-sectional evidence reveals only a weak correlation between national spending per student or teaching resources and mean pupil performance in standardised tests (Figure 1, lower panels). Extra resources devoted to education do not automatically lead to commensurate improvements in outcomes.
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  • 13
    Language: English
    Pages: 34 p. , 21 x 29.7cm
    Series Statement: OECD Economics Department Working Papers no.642
    Keywords: Economics
    Abstract: Frequent recourse to large one-off operations in a number of OECD countries has undermined the accuracy of cyclically adjusted fiscal balances as a measure of both the sustainability of public finance and the fiscal stance. This paper first provides detailed information on the nature and amount of these one-offs for 9 OECD countries. The paper then presents a new indicator – the “underlying” fiscal balance – which effectively eliminates the impact of one-offs and cyclical developments. One-offs are derived as the deviations from trend in net capital transfers, i.e. from widely available national account data. This approach provides a consistent treatment of one-offs both across countries and over time, avoiding the potential information biases which could result from an individual identification of one-offs.
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  • 14
    Language: English
    Pages: 38 p. , 21 x 29.7cm
    Series Statement: OECD Economics Department Working Papers no.634
    Keywords: Economics
    Abstract: This paper addresses the question of whether and how long-term financial trends may have modified the transmission mechanism from monetary policy decisions to economic activity. The focus is on longterm changes, abstracting from the disruptions created by the 2007-08 financial turmoil which are temporarily affecting the transmission mechanism. The first series of findings is that a number of factors have worked to strengthen the transmission of monetary policy, including more competitive financial markets, higher household indebtedness, greater diversity in the supply of financial products, greater financial integration and more responsive asset pricing mechanisms. However, other factors appear to have simultaneously gone in the direction of weakening transmission of domestic policy, including greater external financial influences, lower exchange-rate pass-through and a broad-based shift towards fixed-rate assets and liabilities. On balance, monetary policy appears to remain a powerful tool for guiding aggregate demand, but a number of changes that have worked to support the strength of transmission have also increased risks to financial stability.
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  • 15
    Language: English
    Pages: 17 p. , 21 x 29.7cm
    Series Statement: OECD Economics Department Working Papers no.597
    Keywords: Economics
    Abstract: This paper addresses the question of whether and how monetary policy ease may lead to excesses in financial and real asset markets and ultimately result in financial dislocation. It presents evidence suggesting that periods when short-term interest rates have been persistently and significantly below what Taylor rules would prescribe are correlated with increases in asset prices, especially as regards housing, though no systematic effects are identified on equity markets. Significant asset price increases, however, can also occur when interest rates are in line with Taylor rules, associated with periods of financial deregulation and/or innovation. The paper argues that accommodating monetary policy over the period 2002-2005, in combination with rapid financial market innovation, would seem in retrospect to have been among the factors behind the run-up in asset prices and consequent financial imbalances -- the (partial) unwinding of which helped trigger the 2007 financial market turmoil. Moreover, the paper points out that in certain situations policy rates may be a rather blunt tool for dealing with both the build-up and aftermath of financial imbalances, raising the question whether “macro-prudential” regulation could be useful.
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  • 16
    Language: English
    Pages: 35 p. , 21 x 29.7cm
    Series Statement: OECD Economics Department Working Papers no.655
    Keywords: Economics
    Abstract: The financial crisis and economic downturn are going to weigh on fiscal positions in OECD countries over the short to medium-term, both through the operation of automatic stabilisers and the enactment of discretionary fiscal stimulus packages. However, the strategic policy options facing OECD countries are mainly determined by the soundness of their underlying fiscal positions which vary substantially. This paper first describes how OECD economies are situated with respect to underlying fiscal balances and net government debt. A number of countries seem to enjoy favourable fiscal positions with underlying fiscal surpluses, low government debt or even positive net financial asset positions. When taking account, as far as possible, of implicit liabilities associated with ageing populations and resource-based revenues, fiscal positions still vary greatly across countries. The paper then examines the criteria involved in deciding whether government financial asset accumulation is in excess of needs and the use to which any excess government saving might be put, whether increasing public spending or reducing taxes. Finally, the determinants of the optimal size of the government balance sheet for any given desired net debt position are discussed.
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  • 17
    Language: English
    Pages: 47 p. , 21 x 29.7cm
    Series Statement: OECD Economics Department Working Papers no.558
    Keywords: Economics
    Abstract: The efficiency of schools diverges dramatically across countries in the OECD and can also vary markedly within countries. These differences in levels of efficiency can be traced to policy and institutional settings. As such, moving to best practice could boost educational attainment and reduce pressure on budgetary resources. This paper assesses empirically the relationship between institutional and policy settings and the efficiency of public spending on primary and secondary education across OECD countries. The analysis builds on two previous papers, which respectively developed OECD-area indicators of educational efficiency based on PISA score data and institutional indicators based on questionnaire responses. The results identify a number of institutional and policy settings that appear conducive to raising efficiency, as well as policies that appear to be detrimental to achieving higher levels of efficiency.
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  • 18
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    Paris : OECD Publishing
    Language: English
    Pages: 40 p. , 21 x 29.7cm
    Series Statement: OECD Economics Department Working Papers no.568
    Keywords: Economics
    Abstract: The aim of this paper is to construct indicators that measure the strength of policies aimed at preserving and promoting market competition by empowering antitrust and sectoral authorities. The indicators, which cover both general and sector-specific competition policies, extend previous OECD work covering economy-wide and sector-specific regulations that restrict competition and promote governance. It focuses on information for 2003 provided by a number of OECD sources. The results show relatively little variation in the overall indicator across countries, partly reflecting the convergence of competition policies across the OECD area over the past decade. However, inspection of individual elements reveals that enforcement efforts (both in terms of devoted resources and actually implemented sanctions) and policies in network industries vary considerably across countries. Thus, the main conclusion arising from this work is that member countries have been improving the general competition policy framework, but still have to fully implement the improved framework. Moreover, there remains a considerable scope for further progress in promoting competition in network industries.
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  • 19
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    Paris : OECD Publishing
    Language: English
    Pages: 23 p. , 21 x 29.7cm
    Series Statement: OECD Economics Department Working Papers no.587
    Keywords: Economics ; Belgium
    Abstract: The tertiary education system has been transformed from an elite-oriented system to a system providing tertiary education to a much larger share of each new generation. This re-orientation has contributed to raising education attainment in Belgium. However, in many respects the organisation of the tertiary education systems has not been changed fundamentally and economic incentives are only to a minor extent in place for securing the supply and quality of tertiary education. The system has come under strain, as revealed in the high failure rate among first-year students and the high incidence of subject change. There is thus a need for the system to adapt to be able to continue to support the improvement in educational attainment.
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  • 20
    Language: English
    Pages: 35 p. , 21 x 29.7cm
    Series Statement: OECD Economics Department Working Papers no.588
    Keywords: Economics ; Belgium
    Abstract: The Belgian financial landscape has been transformed over the past two decades and now consists of a relatively large, well-functioning and internationally integrated financial sector contributing directly and indirectly, through its intermediary function, to long-term economic growth. One of the financial system’s key characteristics is the concentration of activity among a small number of financial conglomerates that offer a combination of banking and insurance services. Although this mix of activities may contribute to financial stability, it has led to a widespread commercial practice of crossselling, possibly dampening competitive pressures. Competition may also be hindered by regulatory policies in the markets of mortgage loans and consumer credit; although these policies aim at protecting consumers against the risk of over-indebtedness, they risk having the unintended consequence of increasing entry costs for new providers, thus hindering competition and innovation and hurting consumer interests. Besides regulatory policy, tax policy has also been used to shape the development of the financial system. Tax credits are granted to influence investment and borrowing decisions, notably to stimulate home ownership, encourage saving and stimulate private pension accounts. International experience suggests that such tax expenditures, while influencing the allocation of saving, have no obvious impact on the overall level of saving. However they result in significant tax expenditure and necessitate higher tax rates elsewhere. Reforms recommended in this paper would help to make a well-functioning system perform even better.
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  • 21
    Language: English
    Pages: 78 p. , 21 x 29.7cm
    Series Statement: OECD Economics Department Working Papers no.575
    Keywords: Economics
    Abstract: Based on 18 country reviews performed over the 2003-2005 period, this paper examines, the cross-country differences in policy approaches to product market competition and their consequences for product market rents. Against this background, the paper summarises OECD recommendations to further strengthen competition in various sectors and areas. These include: removing remaining barriers to trade and inward foreign direct investments; better securing deterrence of cartels through effective sanctions; facilitate market access to inherently competitive industries by easing zoning laws (the retail sector), abolishing reserved monopolies (sales of tobacco and alcohol), limiting the scope of trade associations’ self-regulation and easing residency or nationality requirements (professional services); meet competition challenges in network industries by facilitating the effective separation of monopoly components from competitive activities, reducing public ownership, clearly separating the government’s ownership and regulatory functions and creating the right incentives for investing in infrastructures.
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  • 22
    Language: English
    Pages: 51 p. , 21 x 29.7cm
    Series Statement: OECD Economics Department Working Papers no.543
    Keywords: Economics
    Abstract: This paper presents composite indicators of the institutional and policy characteristics of educational systems, collated from the questionnaire responses of 26 Member countries. These indicators provide an overview of the institutional framework in the primary and secondary education sector and are constructed so as to be used for the analysis of international differences in spending efficiency. The key features of the institutional setting in the non-tertiary education sector are grouped under three headings: i) the ability to prioritise and allocate resources efficiently (through decentralisation and mechanisms matching resources to specific needs); ii) the efficiency in managing spending at the local level (through outcome-focused policies and managerial autonomy), and iii) the efficiency in service provision (through benchmarking and user choice). For each country, an intermediate indicator is computed for each of these six institutional properties. Composite indicators then combine the six intermediate indicators of spending efficiency into a single, aggregate measure. Results are presented and some of their implications are discussed. Overall, the characteristics of the institutional framework in the non-tertiary public education sector seem to be very favourable, compared to OECD average, in the United Kingdom, Australia, Norway, Denmark and the Netherlands, whereas results are less favourable for the Czech Republic, Greece, Luxembourg, Japan, Turkey, Hungary, Belgium (French speaking community), Switzerland and Austria.
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  • 23
    Language: English
    Pages: 67 p. , 21 x 29.7cm
    Series Statement: OECD Economics Department Working Papers no.546
    Keywords: Economics
    Abstract: This paper assesses the potential to raise public spending efficiency in the primary and secondary education sector. Resource availability per pupil has increased significantly over the past decade in a number of countries; often in attempting to exploit the link between educational attainment and growth. However, available evidence reveals only a weak correlation between increased resource availability and pupil performance. In order to draw cross-country comparisons...
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  • 24
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    Paris : OECD Publishing
    In:  Revue économique de l'OCDE Vol. 2006, no. 1, p. 97-154
    ISSN: 1684-3444
    Language: French
    Pages: 67 p
    Parallel Title: Parallelausg. An empirical investigaton of political economy factors behind structural reforms in OECD countries
    Titel der Quelle: Revue économique de l'OCDE
    Publ. der Quelle: Paris : OCDE, 1998
    Angaben zur Quelle: Vol. 2006, no. 1, p. 97-154
    Keywords: Economics
    Abstract: À l’origine, ce document a été élaboré à l’intention du Groupe de travail n° 1 de l’OCDE, sous l’autorité du Comité de politique économique de l’OCDE. Jens Høj et Giuseppe Nicoletti travaillent pour le Département des affaires économiques de l’OCDE en qualité d’économiste en chef de la branche des études nationales et de chef de division, Division de l’analyse des politiques structurelles 1, respectivement. Vincenzo Galasso est Professeur associé d’économie à l’Université Bocconi, en Italie, et Thai-Thang Dang est consultant dans le secteur privé. Les auteurs tiennent à remercier Jean-Philippe Cotis, Jørgen Elmeskov, Michael P. Feiner, Christopher Heady, Nick Johnstone et de nombreux collègues du Département des affaires économiques de l’OCDE, ainsi que des représentants des pays membres de l’OCDE pour leurs précieux commentaires sur une version antérieure de ce document.
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  • 25
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    Paris : OECD Publishing
    In:  OECD journal: economic studies Vol. 2006, no. 1, p. 87-136
    ISSN: 1995-2856
    Language: English
    Pages: 59 p
    Parallel Title: Parallelausg. Analyse empirique des facteurs d'économie politique influant sur les réformes structurelles dans l'OCDE
    Titel der Quelle: OECD journal: economic studies
    Publ. der Quelle: Paris : Organisation for Economic Cooperation & Development, 2008
    Angaben zur Quelle: Vol. 2006, no. 1, p. 87-136
    Keywords: Economics
    Abstract: This paper was originally prepared for the OECD Working Party No. 1 under the authority of the OECD’s Economic Policy Committee. Jens Høj and Giuseppe Nicoletti work for the OECD Economics Department as a senior economist in the Country Studies Branch and as Head of the Structural Policy Analysis Division 1, respectively. Vincenzo Galasso is an Associate Professor of Economics at Università Bocconi in Italy and Thai-Thang Dang is a private sector consultant. The authors wish to thank Jean Philippe Cotis, Jørgen Elmeskov, Michael P. Feiner, Christopher Heady, Nick Johnstone and many other colleagues in the OECD Economics Department as well as representatives from OECD member countries for useful comments on a previous version of the paper.
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  • 26
    Language: English
    Pages: 78 p. , 21 x 29.7cm
    Series Statement: OECD Economics Department Working Papers no.501
    Keywords: Economics
    Abstract: In an empirical investigation, the paper identifies the main political economy drivers of structural policy changes in OECD countries' labour and product markets over the 1985-2003 and 1973-2003 periods respectively. Some of the drivers are beyond the control of governments (i.e., that are exogenous to the political process) while there are others over which governments may have some leverage. The core empirical results, based on a set of policy indicators that cover 21 countries, suggest that the former set of factors has an important influence on the implementation of structural reform, including economic crises, exposure to foreign competition, and government?s duration in office. Nonetheless, the latter set of factors, including budgetary conditions and spillovers across policy areas -- in particular from the product to the labour market -- is also important to both initiate and sustain reforms.
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  • 27
    Language: English
    Pages: 45 p. , 21 x 29.7cm
    Series Statement: OECD Economics Department Working Papers no.521
    Keywords: Economics
    Abstract: This paper assesses how and in what circumstances, fiscal consolidations are affected by monetary conditions, using data covering 24 OECD countries over the past 25 years, Focusing on fiscal consolidation “episodes”, it is found that these tend to occur when large budget deficits threaten sustainability and usually when other macroeconomic indicators -- inflation, the exchange rate and unemployment -- suggest a “crisis” situation. After controlling for these factors, the paper finds strong econometric evidence that consolidation efforts are more likely to be pursued and to succeed if the monetary policy stance is eased in the initial stages of the episode, thus contributing to offsetting the contractionary impact of fiscal tightening. However, the link is far from mechanical and there are also counter-examples where monetary easing was followed by aborted consolidation efforts. Central bank independence explicitly precludes direct responses of monetary policy to fiscal actions. However, the paper also provides evidence that the indirect reaction of monetary policy and financial markets to fiscal consolidation may be influenced by the quality of fiscal adjustment, as short and long-term interest rates are more likely to fall during episodes characterised by greater reliance on current expenditure cuts. While this means that causality runs both ways, the paper provides evidence that, even after controlling for this proxy of fiscal adjustment quality, changes in monetary stance do affect the chances that a fiscal retrenchment plan will be successfully pursued.
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  • 28
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    Paris : OECD Publishing
    Language: English
    Pages: 52 p. , 21 x 29.7cm
    Series Statement: OECD Economics Department Working Papers no.473
    Parallel Title: Parallelausg. Concurrence sur les marchés de produits et performance économique en France
    Keywords: Economics ; France
    Abstract: Over the past decade, French economic growth has been insufficient to bring down high and persistent unemployment. Available cross-country evidence suggests that enhancing competition is an important means to improve economic performance. France is catching up with best practice in competition policy reform. However, other policy considerations often hamper the emergence of effective competition. Relatively weak competitive pressures remain in a number of sectors, particularly in sheltered service industries. Restrictions on competition reduce productivity growth and hinder job creation in regulated sectors. Policy must focus on giving more weight to overall consumer welfare in the face of opposition from relatively small but vocal special interest groups. This paper discusses reforms that would increase competition by: i) strengthening institutions and better clarifying their responsibilities with respect to competition enforcement; ii) reinforcing the ability of sector regulators to improve non-discriminatory third-party access and other aspects of competition in the network industries; iii) abolishing overly prescriptive regulation in the retail sector; and iv) removing unnecessary protection in some professional services. This Working Paper relates to the 2005 OECD Economic Survey of France (www.oecd.org/eco/surveys/france).
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  • 29
    Language: French
    Pages: 56 p. , 21 x 29.7cm
    Series Statement: OECD Economics Department Working Papers no.473
    Parallel Title: Parallelausg. Product Market Competition and Economic Performance in France
    Keywords: Economics ; France
    Abstract: La croissance économique française sur la dernière décade s'est avérée insuffisante pour résorber un taux de chômage élevé et persistant. Les études et comparaisons internationales disponibles suggèrent qu'un renforcement du degré de concurrence permettrait d'améliorer significativement la performance économique. La France n’est plus loin de la meilleure pratique pour ce qui est de la réforme de la politique de la concurrence. Pourtant, d’autres considérations de politique économique font souvent obstacle à l’émergence d’une véritable concurrence. Des pressions concurrentielles relativement faibles prévalent dans plusieurs secteurs, notamment les secteurs de services abrités. Les restrictions à la concurrence réduisent la croissance de la production et freinent la création d’emplois dans les secteurs réglementés. L’action des pouvoirs publics doit pondérer davantage le bien-être global des consommateurs face à l’opposition des groupes d’intérêt spéciaux de taille relativement restreinte mais très actifs. Le présent chapitre passe en revue les réformes qui renforceraient la concurrence en : i) consolidant les institutions et en clarifiant mieux les responsabilités de la mise en œuvre de la concurrence ; ii) donnant aux autorités sectorielles de réglementation une plus grande compétence pour l’amélioration de l’accès non discriminatoire des tiers et d’autres aspects de la concurrence dans les industries de réseau ; iii) abolissant les réglementations trop contraignantes dans le secteur de la distribution ; et iv) supprimant la protection inutile dans certains services professionnels. Ce Document de travail se rapporte à l'Étude économique de l'OCDE de la France 2005 (www.oecd.org/eco/etudes/france).
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  • 30
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    Paris : OECD Publishing
    Language: English
    Pages: 47 p. , 21 x 29.7cm
    Series Statement: OECD Economics Department Working Papers no.490
    Keywords: Economics
    Abstract: Long-term bond yields have been low in recent years both in nominal and real terms, and . especially in the United States - they have reacted differently to shifts in monetary and fiscal stances relative to previous cycles. This article examines various possible explanations for this behaviour, such as the effects of changes in monetary policy frameworks on inflation and interest rate expectations; developments in ex ante saving-investment balances, and shifts in investors. portfolio preferences (including official reserve accumulation, .petro-dollar. recycling and pension fund demand for longer maturities). The paper finds that it is unlikely that any individual explanation can account for the level and profile of bond yields in recent years, but that an important element has been a compression in term premia, together with shifts in expected short rates. Even though bond yields have started to rise in the early part of 2006, they are unlikely to go back to the levels that prevailed in the 1980s or the early 1990s, as several of the factors that drove them lower are set to persist.
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  • 31
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    Paris : OECD Publishing
    In:  Revue économique de l'OCDE Vol. 2005, no. 2, p. 153-197
    ISSN: 1684-3444
    Language: French
    Pages: 56 p
    Parallel Title: Parallelausg. Sub-central government fiscal rules
    Titel der Quelle: Revue économique de l'OCDE
    Publ. der Quelle: Paris : OCDE, 1998
    Angaben zur Quelle: Vol. 2005, no. 2, p. 153-197
    Keywords: Economics
    Abstract: Les règles qui limitent les pouvoirs discrétionnaires des responsables des politiques budgétaires sont aujourd’hui courantes dans les économies de l’OCDE, et le rôle croissant que jouent les institutions décentralisées dans l’offre des services publics a entraîné leur généralisation à l’échelon territorial. Des règles bien conçues permettent de tirer des gains d’efficience de l’autonomie locale tout en facilitant l’assainissement budgétaire, en amortissant les chocs économiques et en répondant aux objectifs de viabilité à long terme des finances publiques, tâches d’autant plus urgentes que, selon les prévisions, les services rendus par les collectivités territoriales seront de plus en plus sollicités du fait du vieillissement de la population.
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  • 32
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    Paris : OECD Publishing
    In:  OECD journal: economic studies Vol. 2005, no. 2, p. 141-181
    ISSN: 1995-2856
    Language: English
    Pages: 51 p
    Parallel Title: Parallelausg. Les règles budgétaires s'appliquant aux collectivités territoriales
    Titel der Quelle: OECD journal: economic studies
    Publ. der Quelle: Paris : Organisation for Economic Cooperation & Development, 2008
    Angaben zur Quelle: Vol. 2005, no. 2, p. 141-181
    Keywords: Economics
    Abstract: Rules constraining the discretionary powers of budget policymakers have become widespread among OECD economies, and the expanding role played by decentralised institutions in providing public services has led to their increasing adoption at the sub-central level.
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  • 33
    Language: English
    Pages: 77 p. , 21 x 29.7cm
    Series Statement: OECD Economics Department Working Papers no.465
    Keywords: Economics
    Abstract: Against a background of mounting demands for spending on services provided by sub-central governments, this paper examines how fiscal rules can help to ensure that pressure on resources is minimised and available resources are used efficiently. Drawing on questionnaire responses and other sources, this paper gives a detailed picture of fiscal rules for sub-central governments in place among a number of OECD countries. The paper examines the rationales for using fiscal rules, the various impacts fiscal rules can have, the factors making for effective implementation and the interactions between the various types of rule. It then constructs a number of synthetic sub-indicators designed to assess the extent to which sub-central government fiscal frameworks exhibit favourable characteristics for the achievement of fiscal objectives. It concludes with the construction of a composite indicator based on the combined impacts in the different areas of fiscal policy.
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  • 34
    Language: English
    Pages: 29 p. , 21 x 29.7cm
    Series Statement: OECD Economics Department Working Papers no.441
    Keywords: Economics
    Abstract: This paper estimates and discusses some of the potential labour market implications arising from the rapid ageing of government employees in a number of OECD countries. Under alternative scenarios for future public employment policies, available labour resources for the private sector are estimated taking into account the declining age cohorts entering the labour market. These scenarios suggest that, in the absence of considerable increases in labour utilisation, maintaining government sector hiring at their historical share of new labour market entrants will entail sharp declines in the production of government services. On the other hand, if present levels of government services are to be preserved, governments are likely to hire an increasing share of labour market entrants, creating a strong crowding-out effect for the private sector. Alternatively, productivity in the government sector would have to increase substantially.
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  • 35
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    Paris : OECD Publishing
    In:  Revue économique de l'OCDE Vol. 2003, no. 2, p. 125-184
    ISSN: 1684-3444
    Language: French
    Pages: 70 p
    Parallel Title: Parallelausg. Enhancing the Cost Effectiveness of Public Spending: Experience in OECD Countries
    Titel der Quelle: Revue économique de l'OCDE
    Publ. der Quelle: Paris : OCDE, 1998
    Angaben zur Quelle: Vol. 2003, no. 2, p. 125-184
    Keywords: Economics
    Abstract: Les dépenses publiques en proportion du PIB ont augmenté régulièrement dans la zone OCDE jusqu’au milieu des années 90, mais cette tendance s’est atténuée depuis. L’augmentation des dépenses résultant du développement continu des programmes sociaux a été en partie compensée par des facteurs temporaires ou ponctuels. Cependant, il est probable que les pressions sur les dépenses publiques vont s’intensifier, notamment sous l’effet du vieillissement des populations. Bien que les dépenses publiques aient un rôle à jouer dans la poursuite des grands objectifs...
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  • 36
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    Paris : OECD Publishing
    In:  OECD journal: economic studies Vol. 2004, no. 1, p. 125-156
    ISSN: 1995-2856
    Language: English
    Pages: 44 p
    Parallel Title: Parallelausg. La contribution des marchés du logement à la résilience économique
    Titel der Quelle: OECD journal: economic studies
    Publ. der Quelle: Paris : Organisation for Economic Cooperation & Development, 2008
    Angaben zur Quelle: Vol. 2004, no. 1, p. 125-156
    Keywords: Economics
    Abstract: This paper examines the linkages between housing markets and the business cycle in OECD countries, focusing on how differences in the degree of resilience to economic shocks can be affected by the structural characteristics of housing and mortgage markets. The paper focuses specifically on: the transmission channel from housing wealth to consumption and on the factors behind house price variability, which help to determine whether the housing sector plays a stabilising role or not.
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  • 37
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    Paris : OECD Publishing
    In:  Revue économique de l'OCDE Vol. 2004, no. 1, p. 139-173
    ISSN: 1684-3444
    Language: French
    Pages: 48 p
    Parallel Title: Parallelausg. The Contribution of Housing Markets to Cyclical Resilience
    Titel der Quelle: Revue économique de l'OCDE
    Publ. der Quelle: Paris : OCDE, 1998
    Angaben zur Quelle: Vol. 2004, no. 1, p. 139-173
    Keywords: Economics
    Abstract: Les pays de l’OCDE ont témoigné de degrés variables de résilience économique au cours de la récente récession conjoncturelle, certains ayant négocié et surmonté mieux que d’autres une série de chocs communs. Dans une certaine mesure, les différences de résilience économique semblent liées à la performance des marchés du logement. En particulier, le dynamisme des prix immobiliers dans certains pays parait avoir dopé la consommation privée et la construction résidentielle et, par là même, contribué à compenser les faiblesses existantes dans d’autres secteurs. On constate que le cadre institutionnel des marchés du logement et des marchés hypothécaires détermine dans une large mesure non seulement l’efficience économique d’ensemble et les revenus réels, mais aussi la propagation des chocs et...
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  • 38
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    Paris : OECD Publishing
    Language: English
    Pages: 51 p. , 21 x 29.7cm
    Series Statement: OECD Economics Department Working Papers no.387
    Keywords: Economics ; Japan
    Abstract: Empirical work shows that competition is important for promoting economic growth. However, in Japan the promotion of competition has long been compromised by ministerial guidance and exemptions from the competition law. Thus, the level and growth of productivity have been low in many domestically oriented sectors and consumer welfare has suffered under high prices and the slow introduction of new goods and services. This misallocation of resources contributes to explaining why the Japanese economy had difficulty in coming out of the quasi-stagnation of the past decade. Recognising that gains from more pro-competition policies are substantial, the Japanese government has now made the promotion of competitive markets a cornerstone of its economic policy. Reforms to promote product market competition in Japan should inter alia focus on strengthening the legal framework by increasing fines to a deterrent level and introducing cartel destabilising measures, such as a leniency ...
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  • 39
    Language: English
    Pages: 39 p. , 21 x 29.7cm
    Series Statement: OECD Economics Department Working Papers no.397
    Keywords: Economics
    Abstract: This paper examines the extent to which fiscal policy actions may be offset by simultaneous, anticipatory changes in private saving, as well as the determinants of that offset. The conditions under which private agents will engage in forward-looking consumption-smoothing behaviour are quite strict and unlikely to hold fully in practice. However, based on a sample of at most 21 OECD countries spanning the period 1970-2002, there is strong evidence of partial, yet substantial, offsetting movements in aggregate private and public saving. The overall offset is estimated at between about one-third and one-half, depending on model specification, and applies both to public consumption and revenue shifts. This is consistent with a marked degree of anticipatory private sector behaviour, insofar as the ex ante saving “leakage” embedded in the pure Keynesian or IS/LM type models would be expected to be smaller and apply only to revenues and transfers. Wealth effects, as in the case of rising equity and housing prices, are found to have an important complementary impact on saving, usually in reinforcing the direct saving offset. Initial conditions, as reflected in debt/GDP ratios are also found to influence the size of the offset.
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  • 40
    Language: English
    Pages: 52 p. , 21 x 29.7cm
    Series Statement: OECD Economics Department Working Papers no.412
    Keywords: Economics
    Abstract: This paper analyses the factors influencing the price of oil and its likely evolution over the next quarter century. It begins by investigating the fundamental forces shaping long-term oil price developments, highlighting the importance of growth-led demand for oil, particularly that emanating from fast-growing, energy-intensive developing countries, and the implications of increasingly geographically concentrated oil reserves. The paper presents oil price projections to 2030 and examines the sensitivity of the projections to the assumptions about growth and non-OPEC supply. While certain combinations of factors could lead to a significantly higher oil price, the projections also suggest that the optimal strategy of resource-rich oil producers would be to prevent it rising too far. The paper then documents short-term influences on the oil price, which peaked at $50 a barrel in 2004, and notes that they have probably led to a significant departure from the long-run equilibrium price ...
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  • 41
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    Paris : OECD Publishing
    Language: English
    Pages: 43 p. , 21 x 29.7cm
    Series Statement: OECD Economics Department Working Papers no.389
    Keywords: Economics ; Norway
    Abstract: Norwegian growth has been strong over the past decade. This development has been supported by the off-shore sector, but depleting oil reserves implies that growth will have to rely increasingly on the mainland economy. Empirical work shows that competition is important for promoting economic growth. Recognising the benefits of competition, the government wants to introduce regulatory reforms to stimulate economic growth. However, the promotion of competition has often conflicted with other policy objectives, such as maintaining a regionally dispersed population and a high degree of public ownership. This has lead to weak competition in a number of sectors, resulting in high prices, weak innovative activity and inefficient resource allocation. Reforms to promote product market competition in Norway should therefore inter alia focus on separating the public sector’s roles and functions as owner and regulator. This requires an increase in the independence of sector ...
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  • 42
    Language: English
    Pages: 47 p. , 21 x 29.7cm
    Series Statement: OECD Economics Department Working Papers no.394
    Keywords: Economics
    Abstract: The paper examines the linkages between housing markets and the business cycle in OECD countries, focusing on how differences in the degree of resilience to economic shocks can be affected by the structural characteristics of housing and mortgage markets. The paper focuses specifically on: the transmission channel from housing wealth to consumption and on the factors behind house price variability, which help to determine whether the housing sector plays a stabilising role or not. Estimates of the marginal propensity to consume out of housing wealth are presented for ten OECD countries, where it is found that the strongest impact on consumption is in countries that have large, efficient and responsive mortgage markets. Particularly important in this regard is the degree of mortgage market “completeness” -- i.e. the extent to which the market is able to offer a variety of products and to serve a broad range of potential borrowers -- in particular, the extent to which they provide ...
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  • 43
    Language: English
    Pages: 31 p. , 21 x 29.7cm
    Series Statement: OECD Economics Department Working Papers no.391
    Keywords: Economics
    Abstract: This paper analyses two factors which may cause cyclically-adjusted budget balances to give a misleading picture of underlying fiscal trends. It first explores the implications of recent large asset-market related fluctuations in government revenues for the measurement of structural budget balances. And second, it reviews the impact of the increased recourse to stopgap “one-off” measures to control deficits. The results confirm that since the late 1990s revenues have been more buoyant than would have been warranted by the registered rate of nominal output growth and the impact of tax measures. The study suggests that from 1995 to 2000 the average contribution of “unwarranted” revenues to year-to-year changes in cyclically-adjusted budget positions ranged from negligible to around ½ per cent of GDP, the main countries affected being the United States, the United Kingdom, France and some Nordic countries. Conversely, the subsequent decline in tax receipts has been sharper than could ...
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  • 44
    Language: English
    Pages: 53 p. , 21 x 29.7cm
    Series Statement: OECD Economics Department Working Papers no.380
    Keywords: Economics
    Abstract: In most OECD countries, public spending rose steadily as a share of GDP over the past decades to the mid-1990s, but this trend has since abated. The spending pressures stemming from the continued expansion of social programmes have been partly compensated by transient or one-off factors. Pressures on public spending, however, appear likely to intensify, in particular as a consequence of ageing populations. Since most OECD economies have very little scope for raising taxation or debt to finance higher spending, reforms to curb the growth in public spending while raising its cost effectiveness are now required. This paper presents a reform strategy for progress in this direction, based on detailed country reviews for over twothirds of OECD countries. Three main areas for action are identified: the budget process; management practices and the use of market mechanisms in the delivery of public services ...
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  • 45
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    Paris : OECD Publishing
    Language: English
    Pages: 46 p. , 21 x 29.7cm
    Series Statement: OECD Economics Department Working Papers no.413
    Keywords: Wettbewerbspolitik ; Wettbewerbsrecht ; Deregulierung ; Finnland ; Economics ; Finland
    Abstract: Following the deep recession in the early 1990s growth has been strong, but the scope for economic catch-up remains considerable and cross-country empirical evidence suggests that enhancing competition is an important means of achieving this. Structural reforms to strengthen competition in the early 1990s did boost growth and were also ahead of similar developments in the EU. However, indicators suggest that relatively weak competition remains in a number of sectors. Moreover, potential competition is reduced by a sparse population and relative long distances to large markets, which together with the prevalence of local monopolies and public ownership in many network industries, point to the need for greater vigilance to sustain and promote competition. Further reforms to promote product market competition should focus on fundamental changes in the regulatory approach as well as more incremental measures to intensify competition. The competition authority should concentrate ...
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  • 46
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    Paris : OECD Publishing
    In:  OECD journal: economic studies Vol. 2003, no. 2, p. 109-161
    ISSN: 1995-2856
    Language: English
    Pages: 55 p
    Parallel Title: Parallelausg. Améliorer le rapport coût-efficacité des dépenses publiques : L'expérience des pays de l'OCDE
    Titel der Quelle: OECD journal: economic studies
    Publ. der Quelle: Paris : Organisation for Economic Cooperation & Development, 2008
    Angaben zur Quelle: Vol. 2003, no. 2, p. 109-161
    Keywords: Economics
    Abstract: In most OECD countries, public spending rose steadily as a share of GDP over the past decades to the mid-1990s, but this trend has since abated. The spending pressures stemming from the continued expansion of social programmes have been partly compensated by transient or one-off factors. Pressures on public spending, however, appear likely to intensify, in particular as a consequence of ageing populations. Since most OECD economies have very little scope for raising taxation or debt to finance higher spending, reforms to curb the growth in public spending while raising its cost effectiveness are now required. Based on detailed country reviews for over two-thirds of OECD countries, this paper identifies three main areas for action: the budget process; management practices; and the use of market mechanisms in the delivery of public services ...
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  • 47
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    Language: English
    Pages: 39 p. , 21 x 29.7cm
    Series Statement: OECD Economics Department Working Papers no.322
    Keywords: Economics ; Austria
    Abstract: This document analyses the economic impacts of selected environmental policies in Austria with an emphasis on the use of economic instruments and incentives versus command-and-control measures. An important theme in a federation like the Austrian is the institutional complexity involved in many aspects of environmental policy, requiring a high degree of co-ordination between various layers of government, which could be furthered by a coherent ex ante and ex post evaluation system. Such a system could also be useful in the setting of abatement objectives and minimizing their associated cost. Greater use of properly designed instruments, examples being a unified taxation of fuels and the introduction of a CO2 tax, would improve the cost-effectiveness of policies to reach Austria’s ambitious CO2 emission reduction target. This would particularly be the case if economic instruments replace the widespread use of subsidies and command-and-control type measures. Such measures are found to ...
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  • 48
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    Paris : OECD Publishing
    Language: English
    Pages: 37 p. , 21 x 29.7cm
    Series Statement: OECD Economics Department Working Papers no.277
    Keywords: Economics ; Denmark
    Abstract: This paper analyses aspects of environmental policy in Denmark, including, among others, policy on surface water quality, clean air and support for renewable energy, waste disposal and transport policy. Environmental policies are an important priority in Denmark, with implementation often highly decentralised, but in some cases environmental objectives have been pursued at what seems a high price, perhaps through a wish to support the development of a domestic industry or to protect existing industry from loss of competitiveness. The paper criticises some of the arguments used in favour of this high cost approach in a number of contexts, including wind power subsidies, the carbon tax and the treatment of nutrient discharges from agriculture. The paper also discusses a number of innovative and efficient policies introduced or planned, for example the new approach to promoting renewable energy (including wind power) through tradable “green certificates” and a CO2 trading scheme in ...
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  • 49
    Language: English
    Pages: 35 p. , 21 x 29.7cm
    Series Statement: OECD Economics Department Working Papers no.300
    Keywords: Economics ; Belgium
    Abstract: This document analyses aspects of environmental policy in Belgium. Some specific examples are drawn from policies on water in the different regions that make up the Belgian Federation (to whom much environmental policy is delegated), and transport and congestion policy in the Brussels region is discussed. The system of “ecotaxes” and some inconsistencies in the structure of taxation, from the environmental point of view - for example between petrol and diesel fuel - are also covered. An important theme is the institutional complexity involved in many aspects of environmental policy. Co-ordination is necessary between regional governments and the federal government, as well as with local governments, implementing policies which are often based on EU directives ...
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  • 50
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    Paris : OECD Publishing
    Language: English
    Pages: 43 p. , 21 x 29.7cm
    Series Statement: OECD Economics Department Working Papers no.309
    Keywords: Economics ; Australia
    Abstract: This document analyses aspects of natural resource and environmental policies in Australia, focusing on water resource management, salinity and climate change mitigation. The state and central governments have not made use of their taxation powers in these domains. The cap-and-trade system for water rights in the Murray Darling basin aims at better integration of economic and environmental reform. Still higher benefits could be reaped from trading if the various restrictions on trade were lifted, and if water pricing reform were accelerated in rural areas, so as to reflect economic and environmental costs. The rules for allocating flows for the environment also need to be clarified. To address dryland salinity, more co-ordination between the States and the Commonwealth is needed, for example to avoid the contradiction inherent in subsidising revegetation programmes while at the same time authorising further land clearing. Economic instruments could be used for intermediate ...
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  • 51
    Language: English
    Pages: 60 p. , 21 x 29.7cm
    Series Statement: OECD Economics Department Working Papers no.276
    Keywords: Economics ; Germany
    Abstract: This document analyses German environmental policies, including, among others, discussion of air and water quality policy, use of the waste management hierarchy approach and of voluntary agreements. The German public has been highly sensitive to environmental concerns, leading to many policy initiatives in this area since the early 1980s. Significant environmental improvements have been achieved, using an approach frequently based on detailed regulations, often developed with the close involvement of industry and even individual polluters. There has developed a tendency to relieve some of the heaviest polluters from the most stringent regulation, on the grounds of competitiveness concerns, and some polluting activities receive considerable direct or indirect subsidies; these policies will increasingly make it unnecessarily expensive to meet environmental targets. Objectives need to be defined more clearly and consistently and a less discriminatory approach to taxation and ...
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  • 52
    Language: English
    Pages: 47 p. , 21 x 29.7cm
    Series Statement: OECD Economics Department Working Papers no.247
    Keywords: Economics ; Turkey
    Abstract: This Working Paper presents a cross-Directorate Report on the economic, budgetary, regulatory and urbanpolicy implications of the earthquakes which struck the Marmara and Bolu areas of Turkey on 17 August and 12 November 1999. The earthquakes caused high casualties and significant material damage to property, with severe effects on economic activity. The Report traces the factors underlying Turkey’s vulnerability to earthquake damage, along a known active fault line, to deficiencies in risk identification procedures and risk-reduction methods, as well as to the absence of risk transfer and financing techniques. It suggests that these deficiencies may stem from the nature of recent Turkish economic development, which has been driven by the need to assimilate a mass migration from the countryside to the cities and has been associated with extremely high and variable inflation. Ensuring a more orderly future development requires both an overhaul of governance structures in ...
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  • 53
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Paris : OECD Publishing
    Language: English
    Pages: 87 p. , 21 x 29.7cm
    Series Statement: OECD Economics Department Working Papers no.15
    Keywords: Economics
    Abstract: Conventionally, fiscal policy analysis makes a distinction between "discretionary" budget changes and "built-in stability". This distinction is the first step to defining a structural budget balance operationally. Budget deficits vary automatically with the business cycle. Revenues automatically rise as the economy expands; unemployment transfers are reduced, leaving a deficit or surplus at the cyclical peak which may be termed a "structural" budget balance. The "built-in stabilizer" component of the deficit should be self-cancelling as the cyclical output gap is closed so that it is temporary and non-structural. A structural budget deficit is then that excess of public spending over revenues which would persist if the economy were to grow steadily at its highest sustainable employment rate, i.e. at the same rate as potential output.
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  • 54
    Language: English
    Pages: 100 p. , 21 x 29.7cm
    Series Statement: OECD Economics Department Working Papers no.9
    Keywords: Economics
    Abstract: The aim of this paper is to provide an assessment of the medium-term financial strategies operating in and available to OECD economies. Three issues are discussed: first, the rationale for the increasing adoption of medium-term budgetary and monetary objectives; second, the appropriate criteria for the determination of medium-term policy norms, and the institutional means through which these are implemented; and third, the problems of ensuring consistency between short-term policies and medium-term goals. Underlying these issues is the theme of monetary and fiscal policy co-ordination and the medium-term effectiveness of demand management. To the extent that central banks can contain the pressures stemming from the mix of restrictive monetary targets and expansionary budgets, monetary and fiscal policies might be assigned to different objectives - inflation control and short-term employment support respectively (although monetary restraint would not free expansionary fiscal action ...
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