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The lack of funding available from the financial sector for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is known as the "financing gap". This timely report analyses this gap for both credit and equity financing and seeks to determine how prevalent such a gap may be, both among OECD countries and non-OECD economies. The report recommends measures to foster an improved flow of financing to SMEs and entrepreneurs.
This book demonstrates how the growing economic power of China and India is already influencing the growth patterns of African countries, particularly oil- and commodities-exporting ones. As world prices for commodities rise, producer countries in Africa and throughout the world will gain, but there is more to the story than that. Some African countries are redirecting part of their trade and other relationships from their traditional OECD partners to China and India. The book explores the consequences of this, and comes to some surprising conclusions.
Based on experience in OECD countries, this book provides a comprehensive discussion of the effectiveness of environmentally related taxes, of recent research on the environmental and economic impacts of applying them, an on their potential for wider use. In particular, it looks at how to overcome obstacles to their implementation. It also discusses the environmental and economic effects of combining such taxes with other instruments for environmetal policy.
What is the new rural paradigm? Its main characteristics are a focus on places rather than sectors and an emphasis on investments rather than subsidies. In an era of reduced agricultural employment, this report highlights the important and diverse challenges facing rural areas, their unused potential, and the inability of sectoral policy to address this. It also provides an overview of the main socio-economic trends affecting rural areas across the OECD. Further, it addresses the governance requirements of the new cross-sectoral approach to rural policy.
Tables of national competitiveness give an easily comparable ranking of the winners and losers of global economic competition. But they don't explain why the “poor” countries are four times less productive than the “rich” ones or why some rich countries are twice as productive as others. Using empirical data from over 50 countries, this book shows how even small differences in a number of factors combine to boost or block productivity. Governments need such information to set priorities. Investors need it too, and two new rankings are proposed as alternatives to a simple comparison of industrial productivity. The first, called the “investor ranking”, is based on infrastructure, human capital and total factor productivity. The second, “exporter ranking”, is for investors whose prime concern is for a production platform well-integrated into world trade. Combining the new rankings with a more traditional one produces three groups of countries, termed balanced, high potential, and vulnerable. Group membership reserves some surprises: you may be rich, but that doesn’t mean you’re not vulnerable.
This publication is a milestone in the analysis of the distributional impacts of environmental policy. It builds upon existing literature to simultaneously examine disparities in the distribution of environmental impacts and in the distribution of financial effects among households. It provides a conceptual framework for facilitating understanding of the disparities in impacts, reviews empirical evidence through a number of case studies, and analyses policy implications.
The Development Effectiveness of Food Aid: Does Tying Matter? provides a detailed look into two food aid issues. First, the study assesses the effectiveness of the various ways in which food aid can promote food security and poverty alleviation. Second, the study demonstrates that food aid in-kind carries substantial efficiency costs, conservatively estimated as at least 30% on average. In contrast, most local purchases or regionally sourced imports are relatively efficient ways of providing food aid. Thus, there is scope for considerable efficiency gains by switching to less restricted sourcing of food. The study therefore argues that, in most circumstances, financial aid (cash) is the preferable way to fund direct distribution of food or to provide budgetary support for general development or project assistance.
This Test Guideline is for an in vitro membrane barrier test method that can be used to identify corrosive substances.
The test method utilizes an artificial membrane designed to respond to corrosive substances in a manner similar to animal skin in situ. The in vitro membrane barrier test method may be used to test solids, liquids (aqueous substances with a pH in the range of 4.5 to 8.5 often do not qualify for testing) and emulsions. The test described in this Test Guideline allows the identification of corrosive chemical substances and mixtures and allows the subcategorisation of corrosive substances as permitted in the GHS. This classification is based on the substance penetration time through the membrane barrier. The test system is composed of two components, a synthetic macromolecular bio-barrier and a Chemical Detection System (which one detect the test substance). An appropriate number of replicates is prepared for each test substance and its corresponding controls. The times of applying the test substance to the membrane barrier are recorded and staggered. The time (in minutes) elapsed between application of the test substance to the membrane barrier and barrier penetration is used to predict the corrosivity of the test substance.
This Test Guideline describes a screening method for the evaluation of potential anaerobic biodegradability of organic chemicals under specific conditions.
Washed digested sludge, containing low (<10 mg/L) concentrations of inorganic carbon (IC), is diluted about ten-fold to a total solids concentration of 1 g/L to 3 g/L and incubated at 35 °C ±2°C in sealed vessels with the test substance at 20 to 100 mg C/L for up to 60 days. The activity of the sludge is measured by running parallel blank controls. To check the procedure a reference substance (phenol, sodium benzoate, polyethylene glycol 400) is tested in parallel. At least triplicate test vessels for the test substance, blank controls, reference substance, inhibition controls and pressure control chambers are prepared. The increase in headspace pressure in the vessels resulting from the production of carbon dioxide and methane is measured. The inorganic carbon is measured at the end of the test. The amount of carbon (inorganic plus methane) resulting from the biodegradation of the test substance, is calculated from the net gas production and net IC formation in the liquid phase, in excess of blank control values. The extent of biodegradation is calculated from total IC and methane-C produced as a percentage of the measured or calculated amount of carbon added as test substance.
This Test Guideline is a screening method for the evaluation of ready biodegradability of chemical.
The test substance, normally at 20 mg C/L, as the sole source of carbon and energy, is incubated (during 28 days normally) in sealed bottles with aerobic condition containing a buffer-mineral salts medium, which has been inoculated with a mixed population of micro-organisms. In order to check the test procedure, a reference substance (aniline, sodium benzoate or ethylene glycol and 1-octanol) of known biodegradability should be tested in parallel. It is recommended that triplicate bottles be analysed after a sufficient number of time intervals. Also at least five test bottles (from test vessels, blank controls, and vessels with the reference substance) are analysed at the end of the test, to enable 95% confidence intervals to be calculated for the mean percentage biodegradation value. The CO2 evolution resulting from the ultimate aerobic biodegradation of the test substance is determined by measuring the Inorganic Carbon (IC) produced in the test bottles in excess of that produced in blank vessels containing inoculated medium only. The extent of biodegradation is expressed as a percentage of the theoretical maximum IC production (ThIC), based on the quantity of test substance added initially. Biodegradation >60% ThIC within the 10-d window in this test demonstrates that the test substance is readily biodegradable under aerobic conditions.
This Test Guideline is designed to assess effects on vegetative vigour of terrestrial plants following above-ground exposure by general chemicals, biocides and crop protection products.
The test can be conducted in order to determine the dose-response curve, or at a single concentration/rate as a limit test (range finding test is carried out depending on the results) according to the aim of the study. Plants are grown from seed usually to the 2- to 4- true leaf stage. Test substance is then sprayed on the plant and leaf surfaces at appropriate rate(s). After the application, the plants are evaluated against untreated control plants for effects on vigour and growth at various time intervals through 21 - 28 days from treatment. This study includes measurement of biomass of surviving plants (dry or fresh shoot weight, shoot height), visible detrimental effects on different parts of the plant, visual phytotoxicity and mortality (daily during the study) Appropriate statistical analysis are used to obtain an effective concentration ECx or an effective application rate ERx for the most sensitive parameter(s) of interest. Also, the no observed effect concentration (NOEC) and lowest observed effect concentration (LOEC) can be calculated in this test.
This Test Guideline is designed to assess the toxicity of substances to freshwater aquatic plants of the genus Lemna (duckweed).
Exponentially growing plant cultures of the genus Lemna (Lemna gibba and Lemna minor usually) are allowed to grow as monocultures in, at least, five concentrations of the test substance over a period of seven days. The objective of the test is to quantify substance-related effects on vegetative growth over this period based on assessments of selected measurement variables. The limit test corresponds to one dose level of 100 mg/L. This study includes measurement of pH, light intensity, concentrations of the test substance, the counting of the frond number and measurement of at least one other variable (total frond area, dry weight or fresh weight). From the average specific growth rates (or yield) recorded in a series of test solutions, the concentration bringing about a specified x % inhibition of growth rate (or yield) is determined and expressed as the ErCx (or EyCx). An additional response variable used is yield. In addition, the lowest observed effect concentration (LOEC) and the no observed effect concentration (NOEC) may be statistically determined.
This Test Guideline is designed to assess effects on seedling emergence and early growth of higher plants following exposure to the test substance applied to the soil surface or into the soil.
Seeds are placed in contact with soil treated with the test substance and evaluated for effects following usually 14 to 21 days after 50 % emergence of the seedlings in the control group. Endpoints measured are visual assessment of seedling emergence, biomass measurements, shoot height, and the visible detrimental effects on different parts of the plant. The test can be conducted in order to determine the dose-response curve, or at a single concentration/rate as a limit test, according to the aim of the study. An appropriate statistical analysis is used to obtain effective concentration ECx or effective application rate ERx for the most sensitive parameter(s) of interest. Also, the no observed effect concentration (NOEC) and lowest observed effect concentration (LOEC) can be calculated in this test.
This Test Guideline describes eight methods to measure the vapour pressure. Each one can be applied in different vapour pressure ranges. The vapour pressure (in Pascal) of a substance is defined as the saturation pressure above a solid or liquid substance and is determined at various temperatures (in Kelvin).
The methods used are: the dynamic method (Cottrell’s method), the static method, the isoteniscope Method, the effusion method: vapour pressure balance, the effusion method: Knudsen cell, the effusion method: isothermal thermogravimetry, the gas saturation method and the spinning rotor method. The vapour pressure from any of the preceding methods should be determined for at least two temperatures. Three or more are preferred in the range 0 to 50°C, in order to check the linearity of the vapour pressure curve. In case of Effusion methods and Gas saturation method, 120 to 150 °C is recommended for the measuring temperature range instead of 0 to 50°C.
Ce document recueille les principaux termes utilisés dans le transport combiné ou qui s'y rapportent.
Toutes les définitions qui font une référence spécifique au cadre géographique de l'Europe peuvent être appliquées dans d'autres régions du monde. Elles servent aux travaux des trois organisations intergouvernementales qui ont établi cette compilation : UE, CEMT, et CEE-ONU.
Taxing Wages provides unique information on income tax paid by workers and social security contributions levied on employees and their employers in OECD countries. In addition, this annual publication specifies family benefits paid as cash transfers. Amounts of taxes and benefits are detailed program by program, for eight household types which differ by income level and household composition. Results reported include the marginal and effective tax burden for one- and two-earner families, and total labour costs of employers. This year's issue includes a Special feature entitled "Part-time Work and Taxing Wages".
This book investigates policy considerations in the taxation of capital gains of individuals and design features of capital gains tax systems. Perspectives on these are reported for 20 OECD countries. Descriptive information on aspects of capital tax rules for gains on domestic assets of resident investors are presented in summary tables covering all OECD countries.
The Global Forum on Taxation, which consists of OECD and non-OECD economies, seeks to improve transparency and to establish effective exchange of information so that countries can ensure compliance with their national tax laws. The Global Forum is working towards a level playing field in these areas so that activities do not simply migrate from countries that engage in effective exchange of information to those that do not. In working towards a level playing field, the Global Forum seeks to ensure the implementation of high standards of transparency and information exchange in a way that is fair, equitable and permits fair competition between all countries, large and small, OECD and non-OECD. This Report describes the key principles that guide the Global Forum's work and sets out the current status of the legal and administrative frameworks for transparency and exchange of information in over 80 economies.