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Rapid technological developments in the field of information, computers and communications are leading to significant structural changes in the economies of Member countries. Flows of computerised data and information are an important consequence of technological advances and are playing an increasing role in national economies. With the growing economic interdependence of Member countries, these flows acquire an international dimension, known as Transborder Data Flows. It is therefore appropriate for the OECD to pay attention to policy issues connected with these transborder data flows. This Declaration was adopted by the Governments of OECD Member countries on 11th April 1985.

This paper gives an overview of the determination of non-oil commodity prices in the Economics and Statistics Department's INTERLINK world model. The practical problems which have been encountered, in particular in the context of full simulations are discussed. Based on a number of statistical tests, a new specification of the commodity price block is proposed. Indices of nominal commodity prices measured in dollars are estimated as functions of OECD economic activity and inflation, U.S. interest rates and oil prices. Compared to the previous system, the new equations are better behaved in a number of respects ...

The development of purchasing power parities as converters of national accounts aggregates to comparable volume figures is important for international economic comparisons. This study is primarily concerned with the aggregation of price relativities to basic heading level: that is, the level below which there are no expenditure weights available across all of a given group of countries. Eight possible methods of aggregation to basic heading level are identified and appropriate summary statistics developed to assist in the subsequent practical investigation of these methods. This is undertaken using price data for 37 basic headings in ten OECD countries ...

Both OECD and developing economies have embarked on structural reforms aimed at dismantling regulations and reducing the extent of distortions affecting different sectors of their economies. Regardless of the marked differences, both groups have to deal with the problems of the appropriate sequencing and speed of reforms. This paper first critically reviews the LDC related literature on sequencing and speed of structural reforms drawing out features which are of relevance for OECD economies. The paper then develops a formal framework based on a welfare criterion for evaluating different sequencing scenarios. The framework emphasises the microeconomic or efficiency effects of structural policies paying particular attention to the way in which distortions interact both intra and inter temporally. The framework is then used to discuss some of the important issues such as the sequencing of micro and macro reforms ("competition of instruments"), broad front versus sequential ...

Many developing countries lack access to future and option markets to hedge the enormous risks arising from the currency exposure of their foreign debt. And even if these markets are accessible, their maturities are often too short compared to the maturities of long-term debt. The important hedging instrument available for any country, however, is the currency mix of foreign debt itself. This paper provides a theory for the optimal currency composition of foreign debt for market constrained developing countries. It also develops the empirical methodology to determine the optimal currency mix which is then applied. Applying the method to Brazil, Indonesia, Mexico, the Philippines and South Korea, the optimal mix is compared to alternative currency compositions, both in terms of foreign exchange gains and losses as well as variability of balance of payments flows ...

The rapid increase -- over the next thirty years -- in the population share of persons above retirement age has led to a steady increase in attention paid by OECD Governments to questions concerning old age income maintenance. The attached paper looks at the proper role the Government can play in the provision of income for the elderly. The analysis starts with a discussion of the outcomes that can be expected under private contracting, in the absence of any specific Government intervention. Equity and efficiency concerns with these outcomes are identified, and the paper then examines how alternative forms of Government intervention, including comprehensive public old age pension schemes, can potentially improve on these outcomes. Explicit consideration is given to limitations on Governments' ability to achieve desired goals, as well as market distortions introduced by Government intervention ...

This paper presents the methodology adopted by the Economics Department to calculate indices of effective exchange rates and indicators of competitiveness, based on unit labour costs and export unit values in the manufacturing sector. The calculation derives from a double-weighting system which first measures competition among all competitors of a given country on each of its markets, this competition being then weighted according to the relative importance of each of the markets of the country in question. These indicators are generally used to analyse trends in trade variables. In this paper, indicators of export market growth and export performance are also calculated and compared with the export competitiveness indicators ...

This paper displays and discusses historical data on sovereign debt prices for two Latin American countries and provides a signalling framework to account for the following phenomena: (a) prices for old (defaulted) and newly-issued debts were the same, but such prices diverge and rise sharply once the countries stopped issuing new foreign debt, and, (b) the price of defaulted and newly issued debts both tend to rise as the latter approaches maturity and the country starts redeeming all its outstanding obligations. The analysis sheds some light on the valuation of different debt instruments in today's secondary market for LDC debt ...

European multinationals show a growing divergence in their response to the formation of regional trade blocs, according to evidence from seven industries. European firms that are strong competitors at the world level are able to adjust aggressively to changes within Europe without disturbing their global strategies. Weaker firms are prone to becoming more inward-looking in Europe, and to risk further loss of global competitive position. The contrast is particularly marked in industries like chemicals and consumer products, which emphasize exports as a means to serve international markets, and the weaker firms are especially prone to call for protectionist help from Brussels in trade-intensive industries, like apparel. While the lobbying pressures on national and European institutions differ according to the global competitive strength of the leading European firms in a particular industry, the effect is one-sided: the pressure for protection or support is strong in industries where the ...

This paper forms part of the second round of the OECD Model Comparison Project on "The costs of cutting carbon emissions". It provides an overview of two global general equilibrium models GREEN and 12RT. The comparison exercise was carried out by means of five policy scenarios and a set of additional controlled experiments. The scenarios focus on alternative forms of joint implementation of international agreements to stabilise CO2 emissions ...

The primary findings of this report are: markets with infrastructure competition, and in particular where there is competition in both fixed and mobile networks, are delivering best practice performance in terms of market expansion; while there is evidence that monopoly markets are improved by the introduction of a second operator, developments in duopoly markets have been far from optimal, and substantial gains are being lost by delaying further liberalisation; competitive mobile markets are delivering the most employment gains; universal service applications and social gains are being enhanced by the application of competition in mobile telecommunication.

This submission provides a brief factual survey of statutory minimum wage systems in OECD countries (Section B) as well as a summary of recommendations concerning minimum wages which have been presented in the OECD Jobs Study and recent OECD Economic Surveys (Section C). This is followed by a discussion of the factors which should be considered when reviewing the likely effects of statutory minimum wages on employment and unemployment (Section D), and on low pay and poverty (Section E). It is based on recent empirical evidence from OECD countries and, whenever possible, discusses the relevance of the different factors characterising minimum wage for the UK context. The need for further research is discussed in Section F.

This submission provides a brief factual survey of statutory minimum wage systems in OECD countries (Section B) as well as a summary of recommendations concerning minimum wages which have been presented in the OECD Jobs Study and recent OECD Economic Surveys (Section C). This is followed by a discussion of the factors which should be considered when reviewing the likely effects of statutory minimum wages on employment and unemployment (Section D), and on low pay and poverty (Section E). It is based on recent empirical evidence from OECD countries and, whenever possible, discusses the relevance of the different factors characterising minimum wages for the Irish context. The need for further research is discussed in Section F.

1. This submission provides a brief factual survey of statutory minimum wage systems in OECD countries (Section B) as well as a summary of recommendations concerning minimum wages which have been presented in the OECD Jobs Study and recent OECD Economic Surveys (Section C). This is followed by a discussion of the factors which should be considered when reviewing the likely effects of statutory minimum wages on employment and unemployment (Section D), and on low pay and poverty (Section E). It is based on recent empirical evidence from OECD countries and, whenever possible, discusses the relevance of the different factors characterising minimum wages for the Irish context. The need for further research is discussed in Section F.

B. Minimum-wage systems in OECD countries

1. The description of minimum-wage systems in this section has been derived from a number of sources, including national submissions in response to an OECD questionnaire. However, it should be noted that the ...

This paper considers a range of topics concerned with the statistical application of an occupational classification, focusing in particular upon the use of the international standard, ISCO-88. Following a brief presentation of the conceptual basis of ISCO-88 and on methods of collecting and coding occupational information, evidence is presented on the reliability and validity of occupationally classified data. The paper reviews progress on the implementation of ISCO-88 on a global basis and presents an assessment of the likely comparability between countries of occupational data based upon ISCO-88.

From the evidence available it appears that ISCO-88 has successfully superseded ISCO-68 and, in many countries, has become the model for a new national classification even where a national classification of occupations previously existed.

However, occupational classification remains a difficult process, subject to a fairly low level of reliability. In addition to problems of reliability ...

While the world has been mesmerised by China’s emergence as a major player in international trade, now being one of the world’s top ten traders, and also as an absorber of international capital (second only to the United States), China’s state-owned and other public sector enterprises have been quietly growing in importance as a source of international capital. Chinese enterprises now have foreign direct investment in virtually every country in the world and across the whole spectrum of economic activities, from merchant banking to fish processing and forestry.

This paper reviews the available aggregate data on outflows of capital from China. It also examines such data as is available on individual foreign direct investments. One conclusion which emerges is that while such outflows are growing and being disbursed on a global basis there is a significant concentration in a small number countries, in particular Australia, Canada and the United States, in addition to the strong ...

A. Introduction

1. This submission provides a brief factual survey of statutory minimum wage systems in OECD countries (Section B) as well as a summary of recommendations concerning minimum wages which have been presented in the OECD Jobs Study and recent OECD Economic Surveys (Section C). This is followed by a discussion of the factors which should be considered when reviewing the likely effects of statutory minimum wages on employment and unemployment (Section D), and on low pay and poverty (Section E). It is based on recent empirical evidence from OECD countries and, whenever possible, discusses the relevance of the different factors characterising minimum wage for the UK context. The need for further research is discussed in Section F.

B. Minimum-wage systems in OECD countries

1. The description of minimum-wage systems in this section has been derived from a number of sources, including national submissions in response to an OECD questionnaire. However, it should be noted that the information presented has not yet been verified for factual accuracy by the relevant national authorities ...

This document is aimed at disseminating to a wider public the data on employment by industry and occupations for ten OECD countries, that have been collected over the last few years in the context of analytical work aimed at exploring empirically the changing patterns of skills in OECD countries. The industrial coverage of the data allows them to be used in conjunction with similar disaggregated OECD databases, while the occupational detail and time coverage track the evolution of skills profiles over the last one or two decades. The data in this document have been declassified by the Statistical Working Party of the OECD Industry Committee with the understanding that they represent OECD Secretariat estimates and not official country submissions.

The country-specific data are not included in the paper version of this document, but are available on the OECD Web site at the following address: http://www.oecd.org/dsti/sti/prod/sti_wp.htm ...

OECD Committee on Consumer Policy Forum Session on Online Advertising and Marketing Directed toward Children, intended to provide information on how OECD Member countries are dealing with issues related to children and the Internet.

The recent tax reforms have improved incentives to work and removed barriers to the internationalisation of Spanish firms, and have helped to make the tax system simpler and more neutral, especially as regards saving. However, the structure of tax wedges, combined with significant labour market rigidities, continues to inhibit job creation, and particularly job creation for the unskilled. Furthermore, certain tax privileges, in particular incentives favouring owner-occupied housing, and the multiplicity of tax rates and systems applying to business profits, hamper economic efficiency and/or weaken income redistribution. Also, while the territorial authorities’ taxing powers have been increased considerably since 1997, they remain modest by comparison with their prerogatives as regards spending. The absence of adequate mechanism for controlling expenditure at the territorial level, plus the tax revenue guarantees extended to the regions by central government, could jeopardize ...