Browse by: "2006"

The OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises are recommendations to international business for conduct in such areas as labour, environment, consumer protection and the fight against corruption.  The recommendations are made by the adhering governments and, although not binding, governments are committed to promoting their observance.  This Annual Report provides an account of the actions the 39 adhering governments have taken over the 12 months to June 2006 to enhance the contribution of the Guidelines to the improved functioning of the global economy. One highlight of this reporting period was the completion of guidance for companies operating in weak governance zones.  This Tool aims to help companies that invest in countries where governments are unable or unwilling to take up their responsibilities by offering considerations in such areas as obeying the law and observing international instruments; political activities; knowing clients and business partners; and speaking out about wrongdoing.

Ce volume fournit des informations quantitatives sur les titres d’emprunt d’État pour les 30 pays membres de l'OCDE en vue de répondre aux besoins analytiques des utilisateurs tels que les pouvoirs publics, les spécialistes de la gestion de la dette et les analystes de marché.  Les statistiques sont présentées selon un plan d’ensemble normalisé pour permettre une comparaison entre les différents pays. Les notes par pays donnent des informations sur les émissions de titres d’emprunt dans chacun des pays, ainsi que sur le cadre institutionnel et réglementaire dans lequel s’inscrivent la politique de gestion de la dette et les techniques de vente.

The study draws extensively on Chinese government and other sources to provide a detailed and up-to-date picture of the current state of China's public expenditure policies, the main reforms that are being undertaken, and the problems that remain to be resolved. Topics covered: key characteristics of China's budget and recent trends; the allocation of spending; the uneven pattern of fiscal decentralisation; gaps between expenditure needs and fiscal resources for local governments and their consequences.

This book contains the results of peer reviews of the competition law and policies of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, and Peru.  Each review  provides information on the history and economic context for competition law, an outline of the provisions of the current law and policies, a review of institutional issues, a review of competition policy in specific regulated sectors, a review of competition advocacy, and a set of conclusions and recommendations.

Turkish domestic equity markets and inward foreign investment are poised to grow rapdily but only if corporate governance standards are high enough to protect minority shareholders. This report evaluates the extent to which the OECD Principles of Corporate Governance have been implemented in Turkey, looking at both the legal and regulatory framework as well as company practices. It finds that significant reforms to the corporate governance framework have already been introduced, and supports additional legislative reforms that are already in progress. Looking ahead, the report argues that it is time to move into the next important phase in policy reform, and makes a series of recommendations for further strengthening Turkeys corporate governance structures.

Large-scale study of populations may contribute significantly to science’s understanding of the complex multi-factorial basis of disease and to improvements in prevention, detection, diagnosis, treatment and cure. This book summarises the proceedings of a conference on human genetic research databases.  It examines what they are and provides a number of examples. It looks at how they have been established, governed, and funded. And it looks at how they are managed and commercialised, exploring what the policy implications are for governments. 

Red tape is burdensome to companies,  inhibits entrepreneurship, and reduces competitiveness.  This book examines country strategies and tools for reducing red tape and the institutional frameworks set up to reduce red tape, and finds what the trends are and what strategies are working. 

This book enhances understanding and consensus on why and how we need to work more strategically and coherently on the integration of human rights and development. It reviews the approaches of different donor agencies and their rationales for working on human rights, and identifies the current practice in this field. It illustrates how aid agencies are working on human rights issues at the programming level, and it draws together lessons that form the core of the current evidence around the added value of human rights for development. Lastly, it addresses both new opportunities and conceptual and practical challenges to human rights within the evolving development partnerships between donors and partner countries, as well as in relation to the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness as a new reference point of the international aid system. By giving numerous examples of practical approaches, this publication shows that there are various ways for donor agencies to take human rights more systematically into account – in accordance with their respective mandates, modes of engagement and comparative advantage.

This review explores the opportunities for better regulation within the Swiss institutional framework. In recent years, the rate of growth in Switzerland has been slower than the OECD average. If this continues, the country will be challenged to face the financial demands of a rapidly ageing population, and to maintain living standards. The Federal Government has started to implement a growth-oriented reform strategy, but further structural changes are required. This report discusses the need for promoting internal market competition, for adopting a country-wide strategy for regulatory quality and for improving the performance of the infrastructure sectors. It presents an overall picture, set within a macroeconomic context, of regulatory achievements and challenges including regulatory quality, competition policy, and market openness. Its special focus is on frameworks for high quality regulation in the air transport, rail, postal and telecommunications services as well as electricity reform.

This detailed policy review examines recent developments in regional policy in France and in particular, challenges regarding competiveness policies and multilevel governance. It includes interesting statistics related to regions and makes a series of recommendations for French authorities.

Milan has earned a high-profile reputation as a centre of advanced functions, in addition to being an international capital of fashion and design. However, both internal and external challenges are putting strains on Milan’s aspiration to become a southern European and Mediterranean hub.  This review highlights Milan’s potential to capitalise on its advanced services to bolster the regional innovation dynamics and to fuel national growth. It also points out that failure to accelerate the innovation process and to enhance the region’s attractiveness as well as its capacity to implement flagship projects could prove costly. Finally, it calls for rapid metropolitan governance reforms to design and to implement a competitiveness strategy for the entire metropolitan region.

Across the OECD, globalisation increasingly tests the ability of regional economies to adapt and exploit their competitive edge, as it also offers new opportunities for regional development.  This review of Newcastle in the United Kingdom looks at a medium-sized metropolitan area that is the growth centre for its region. This review makes a series of recommendations designed to consolidate governance structures and improve the competitiveness of the region vis-a-vis other similar regions across Europe.

OECD's comprehensive territorial review of Stockholm. It finds Stockholm to be on the the most successful - but not unchallenged - regions. While there is no crisis on the horizon, there are a number of weaknesses that could undermine the region’s competitiveness in the long run. These weaknesses include the apparent lack of new high-growth firms to stimulate the regional innovation system, challenges in the labour market, especially with regard to the integration of immigrants, housing shortages and a transport network that has failed to keep pace with growth in the region.

Mesoamerica is a region characterised by high poverty levels, large urban-rural disparities, and a large informal economy, but also having a strategic location, rich natural and cultural resources, and light manufacturing. This pioneering study of the OECD examines how Mesoamerica could better exploit its economic potential. It shows how the region could improve its competitiveness and social cohesion and strengthen governance through a comprehensive development agenda. 

This book presents a systematic overview of the development of and challenges facing e-government in Denmark.  It includes an examination of the context and structure within which e-government operates; the case for e-government, and external barriers to e-government.  It then examines planning and leadership issues, organisational change, common frameworks and collaboration, user focus, and monitoring and evaluation.  Two case studies  and six annexes supplement the main report.

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.

Ce rapport expose les lignes directrices de l'OCDE sur le gouvernement des entreprises publiques des pays membres en comparant les grandes caractéristiques de chaque système national. Par ailleurs, il analyse la part de ces entreprises dans les pays de l'OCDE, la fonction de dirigeant d'entreprise,  les rapports avec les parties prenantes autres que l'État, le rôle des parties prenantes dans le gouvernement d'entreprise, la transparence et la diffusion d'information, et enfin, le conseil d'administration.

Les tableaux qui figurent en annexe comparent les statuts juridiques respectifs, la transparence et la diffusion d'information, la composition et les fonctions du Conseil d'administration de ces entreprises publiques et enfin, la nomination et la rémunération des PDG à travers les pays membres.