Browse by: "2005"
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The OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises are recommendations for international business conduct in such areas as labour, environment, consumer protection and the fight against corruption. The recommendations are made by the adhering governments and, although they are not binding, governments are committed to promoting their observance.
This book provides the complete text of the Guidelines along with an account of what the 38 adhering governments have been doing to enhance the contribution of the Guidelines to the improved functioning of the global economy. The 2004 edition also provides an overview of how to encourage the positive contribution of business to the environment through the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises.
The OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises are recommendations for international business conduct in such areas as labour, environment, consumer protection and the fight against corruption. The recommendations are made by the adhering governments and, although they are not binding, governments are committed to promoting their observance.
This book provides the complete text of the Guidelines along with an account of what the 38 adhering governments have been doing to enhance the contribution of the Guidelines to the improved functioning of the global economy. The 2005 edition also provides an overview of corporate responsibility in the developing world.
This book considers how a wide range of policies, including tax/benefit policies, childcare policy, and employment and workplace practices help determine parental labour market outcomes and may impinge on family formation and ultimately the current and future labour supply. It covers Canada (in particular the province of Québec), Finland, Sweden and the United Kingdom and also includes some options for policy reform towards a better reconciliation of work and family commitments in the four countries in question.
Other Babies and Bosses volumes cover Australia, Denmark and the Netherlands, which was published in 2002; Austria, Ireland and Japan, which was published in 2003; and New Zealand, Portugal and Switzerland; which was released in 2004. An overview issue that will include key indicators on family-friendly policies in all OECD countries will be released later in 2005.
This publication provides annual data showing aggregate information on the banking sector of OECD member countries. Data show number of institutions and branches by type of bank, aggregate income statement and balance sheets, and classification of assets by resident/non-resident and domestic/foreign currency. Data are provided from the mid-90s onwards in national currencies. Longer time series are available on CD-ROM and on line at http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/bank-data-en
This publication complements Bank Profitability: Financial Statements of Banks. The notes included in this volume were prepared to facilitate the comprehension and the interpretation of the statistics found in that volume and to provide a brief description of the activities of banks in each OECD country.
This publication presents a comprehensive and up-to-date survey of isotope production capabilities and uses in the world and an analysis of issues related to isotope production and use including transportation, sealed source accountability, maintaining the government role, and third party liability concerns.
This book is the product of a collaborative effort between the OECD Environment and Development Co-operation directorates on mainstreaming responses to climate change in development planning and assistance. This volume synthesises insights from six country case studies that review climate change impacts and vulnerabilities, analyse relevant national plans and aid investments in terms of their exposure and attention to climate risks, and examine in-depth key systems where climate change is closely intertwined with development and natural resource management. The case studies cover the Nepal Himalayas, Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, the Nile in Egypt, the Bangladesh Sundarbans, coastal mangroves in Fiji, and agriculture and forestry sectors in Uruguay.
Overall, the volume suggests a rich agenda for research and policy action which should be of considerable interest to donor agencies, sectoral planners and development practioners, as well as climate change experts and policy makers.
In recent years, the main focus of territorial policy has been on sustaining growth, not only to address relative decline, but also to make regions more competitive. Putting this in practice is complicated because different regions have different characteristics (urban, intermediate, industrial, rural, etc.), which imply specific policy and investment needs. This report assesses the strategies pursued by OECD member governments to address the competitiveness of regional economies and the accompanying governance mechanisms on which the implementation of these strategies rests. The report is principally based on findings from the series of reviews undertaken by the OECD Territorial Development Policy Committee at national and regional levels.
Clusters of firms and related organisations in a range of industry specialisations are a striking feature of the economic landscape in all countries. Their growth and survival depends on internal processes of specialisation, co-operation and rivalry, and knowledge flows that underpin the competitiveness of the firms within them. Cluster building is now among the most important economic development activities in OECD countries and beyond. This book looks at the importance and potential of cluster initiatives in Central and Eastern Europe as these countries integrate ever more strongly into the global economy. Existing clusters are mapped, recent policy advances are described and conclusions are drawn on the potential of business clusters to foster economic growth in the wider Central, East and South East European region.
This book presents the International Energy Agency's authoritative data on CO2 emissions from fuel combustion for more than 140 countries for the period 1971-2003. For each country, breakdowns are provided by sector and by fuel. For comparison, an annex extends coverage to greenhouse gas emissions generally. Emissions were calculated using IEA energy databases and the default methods and emissions factors from the Revised 1996 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories.
These proceedings, based on a conference held in November 2004 at OECD in Paris, present leading academic analysis as well as government and private sector information and experience-sharing on how governments and the financial and insurance sectors can deal with losses caused by terrorism, atmosperic perils, and other large-scale risks.
Governments are the major issuers of debt instruments in the global financial market. This 2005 edition provides quantitative information on central government debt broken down by instrument and duration for the 30 OECD member countries for the period 1994 to 2003. Cross-country summary tables provide data in US dollars and more detailed country tables provide data in national currency values.
Statistics are presented according to a comprehensive standard framework to allow cross-country comparison. Country notes provide information on debt issuance in each country as well as on the institutional and regulatory framework governing debt management policy and selling techniques.
Also available on line at www.OCD-iLibrary.org .
This volume is a reference book on current trends in the world coal market. Part I contains an analysis of the 2004 international coal market using IEA statistics that cover prices, demand, trade, supply and production. Part II contains country-specific statistics on coal in 30 OECD member countries and 8 OECD and IEA regional aggregates. Part III contains statistics on coal markets in key non-OECD coal producing and consuming countries.
This publication, published every two to three years, reviews the latest developments in taxing consumption in OECD countries, provides information on tax rates in OECD countries, and reviews current issues in consumption. The issues reviewed include taxation of motor vehicles, globalisation of services, taxation of financial services, and reducing VAT revenue leakage. An annex provides data on the structure of revenues from environmentally related taxes.
After the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001, it became apparent that maritime shipping containers themselves and their links with other modes represent potential security vulnerabilities. This report describes the complex, hybrid container transport system and the variety of actors involved. It then identifies potential areas of security weakness and provides recommendations for inland transport and maritime authorities to improve container security.
Presents the OECD Guidelines on Corporate Governance of State-Owned Enterprises as well as a comparative overview of main practices and issues related to corporate governance of state-owned enterprises in the OECD area. The analytical part of the report examines the scale of these enterprises in OECD countries, organisation of the ownership function, relationships with non-state shareholders, the role of stakeholders in corporate governance, transparency and disclosure, and the board of directors. Tables in the annex compare legal status, transparency and disclosure, and board composition and functions, and CEO appointment and remuneration policies of state-owned enterprises across countries.
This publication presents statistics on foreign aid flows for the years 1999-2003 in support of gender equality in the following sectors: basic education, basic health including reproductive health, and water supply and sanitation. Information is provided on individual commitments, i.e. intended disbursements, of Official Development Assistance (ODA) and Official Aid. For each commitment listed, information is provided on the receiving country and sector, the donor country and agency, the amount and type of aid (grant or loan), grant element percentage, and whether the aid can be considered to have a gender, environmental, or participatory development/good governance aspect. All figures are in US dollars.
This publication highlights the impact of culture on local economies and the methodological issues related to its identification. In particular, the book demonstrates that the contemporary contribution of culture to economic development is not only limited to attracting tourists, but that it increasingly acts as a catalyst for other activities to further develop through territorial clusters. It also demonstrates the power of culture as a tool for the social integration of distressed people and communities, thus contributing to sustainable development.
Building on recent international case studies, Culture and Local Development shows how public policies can foster culture as a lever for local economic development in terms of partnerships, tax relief, and other innovative instruments. The book also sets out the implications for national governments in the fields of education and intellectual property rights.
This report is an attempt to improve understanding of the dairy sector through an analysis of the trade and economic effects of the main policy measures (subsidies) applied to it. In particular, it examines the effects of both milk price support measures and milk quota systems. The removal of individual policy measures is modelled in order to assess the impact of international dairy trade liberalisation on production, consumption, trade, prices, income, and welfare.
The primary focus of this report is the impact of policies and reform in the OECD area, although the consequences for other economies are also examined. In addition, this report offers economic insights into the workings of complex dairy policy measures and provides a discussion of the potential of the dairy sector -- globally and in individual countries -- as it adjusts to liberal trading conditions.
These workshop proceedings deal with the local partnership methodology employed in Belgium in order to develop an integrated proposal to the national government to construct and operate a disposal facility for low-level radioactive waste that is adapted to local conditions. The partnerships were formed among representatives of local organisations in affected communities and representatives of the Belgian national radioactive waste management agency. Insights are provided into a unique - and so far very successful - governance approach to dealing with interests, values and knowledge in managing risk.