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Secure medical supply chains are a cornerstone of resilient health systems. Medical supply chains are complex and internationalised, often involving many suppliers. The COVID-19 pandemic, which combined an unprecedented surge in demand with interruptions in supply and trade, exacerbated pre-existing, rising shortages of essential medicines, such as antibiotics and anaesthetics, and generated shortages of medical devices, such as face masks and respirators. This report offers insights into the risks and vulnerabilities of the supply chains of medicines and medical devices. Policy options to anticipate and mitigate risks of shortages of medicines and medical devices, both routinely and in the context of severe crises, are analysed. Most importantly, the report shows that strengthening the long-term resilience of medical supply chains requires collaborative approaches that balance measures best undertaken by the private sector with those more appropriately managed by governments or supranationally.

This joint OECD-Eurostat publication provides statistical data on international trade in services for the twenty-nine OECD Member countries as well as definitions and methodological notes. The data are supplied and published according to the IMF Fifth Manual of the Balance of Payments and the OECD-Eurostat Classification of Trade in Services, which is totally consistent with the balance of payments classification but is more detailed. This book includes summary tables by country and by service category and zone totals for the EU15, EU12, EUR11 and the OECD which are comparable. Tables for individual countries showing data for detailed service categories are also provided. Time series cover the period 1987-1996 as far as data are available.

This book synthesises recent work by the OECD analysing services trade policies and quantifying their impacts on imports and exports, the performance of manufacturing and services sectors, and how services trade restrictions influence the decisions and outcomes of firms engaged in international markets. Based on the OECD Services Trade Restrictiveness Index (STRI) - a unique, evidence-based tool that provides snapshots of regulations affecting trade in services in 22 sectors across 44 countries (representing over 80% of global trade in services) - the analysis highlights the magnitude, nature and impact of the costs entailed by restrictive services trade policies. The new evidence uncovered is meant to inform trade policy makers and the private sector about the likely effects of unilateral or concerted regulatory reforms and help prioritise policy action.

On the 50th anniversary of the OECD, we examine the unique work the organisation performs in regulating and rationalising governments’ use of export credits in support of exports, jobs, economic growth and national interests more broadly. This work is part of a global post war effort to emphasise multilateral co operation and sound economic policies to promote co operation, efficiency and prosperity rather than destructive competition, controversy and conflict.

OECD export credits work is one of the basic building blocks of the ever growing structure of global trade agreements that aim to maintain open and efficient markets. The objective is to eliminate subsidies and unfair practices in the economic competition that forms the foundation of a healthy and dynamic global economy. The elimination of official financing subsidies in global trade is only a part of the broader trade policy agenda, but it is a vital part, and has been delegated to the OECD by the WTO. Since financing is the life blood of trade flows, specialised OECD housed work allows trade to flow efficiently for aircraft and other capital goods while other trade policy work and litigation continue at the WTO.

The export credits work at the OECD is described in this collection of essays. However it is about much more than the series of agreements described herein. It is more fundamentally about the governments and their people - policy makers and experts - who gather at the OECD to build collectively a system of export credits disciplines that is fair, transparent, adaptable and effective. It is therefore as much about people and ideas as anything else. The export credit secretariat pictured above represents only the latest in a long line of OECD staff committed to facilitate and advise this work.

The OECD’s motto on its 50th anniversary is “Better Policies for Better Lives.” This reminds us that in the end, it is policies that are at the centre of human well being. And export credits work is about promoting these better policies by developing “smart rules” that open markets and maintain a level playing field and by bringing people and governments together to this end.

Part I of this two-part study sets out a framework for the analysis of State trading enterprises (STEs). It emphasises their diverse nature and the imperfectly competitive markets in which many of them operate. Although State trading enterprises may be granted monopoly powers, their objectives and therefore their behaviour may differ from that of private sector monopolies. All these factors should be considered in trying to assess the potential impact of STEs on market access or on world export markets.
Part II assembles and classifies a large amount of information and data concerning agricultural state trading enterprises in OECD countries. The criteria used relate to the potential of these enterprises to distort markets and trade.

In countries affected by the illegal wildlife trade, corruption is a key enabler and facilitator. Failure to address this corruption, and the institutional and governance gaps that allow it to take place, make tackling the illegal wildlife trade a significant challenge. This report provides a structured analysis of how corruption facilitates wildlife crime based on research in four source and transit countries in East and Southern Africa. It offers a series of specific recommendations targeted at national governments, donors, and intergovernmental organisations to address the issues of corruption and the illegal wildlife trade.

Developing countries want to join in the globalisation process. However, the increasing complexity of global markets, the new challenges of the multilateral trading system and the competing demands of regional, bilateral and multilateral trade agreements confront developing countries with an expanding array of competitiveness and policy challenges. And, in many cases, they lack the institutional and human resource capacity to meet these challenges.

The DAC Guidelines on Strengthening Trade Capacity for Development have been prepared on the basis of an emerging international consensus and understanding of how the international community can work together more effectively. They intend to help developing countries enhance their capacity to trade and participate more effectively in the international rule-making and institutional mechanisms that shape the global trading system. They also provide a common reference point for the trade, aid and finance communities, putting trade capacity building in the context of comprehensive approaches to development and poverty reduction.

Tratar las subvenciones del comercio mundial de manera constructiva es un elemento central del objetivo de los líderes del G20 de reformar y reforzar el sistema multilateral de comercio. La utilización cada vez mayor de subvenciones causantes de distorsión altera los flujos comerciales y de inversión, menoscaba el valor de las consolidaciones arancelarias y otros compromisos de acceso a los mercados y erosiona el apoyo público al libre comercio. Las pronunciadas diferencias en torno a las subvenciones están contribuyendo a las tensiones comerciales mundiales, que perjudican al crecimiento y los niveles de vida.

Toto vydání Směrnice o převodních cenách z roku 2017 zahrnuje podstatné revize provedené v roce 2016, aby odráželo vysvětlení a revize dohodnuté ve Zprávách o Akcích 8-10 BEPS z roku 2015 “Přizpůsobení převodních cen ekonomické aktivitě“ a Akci 13 „Dokumentace k převodním cenám a CbCR“. Směrnice zahrnuje také revidované pokyny o režimech bezpečných přístavišť (safe harbours) schválené v roce 2013, které uznávají, že správně navržená safe harbours mohou pomoci zmírnit určité komplikace v souvislosti s dodržováním předpisů a poskytnout daňovým poplatníkům větší jistotu. Toto vydání také obsahuje změny v konzistenci, které byly provedeny ve zbytku Směrnice OECD o převodních cenách. Směrnice OECD o převodních cenách byla ve svém původním znění schválena Radou OECD v roce 1995.