How’s Life for Women in the Digital Age?

March 22, 2019

by Fabrice Murtin, OECD Statistics and Data Directorate How does the digital transformation affect women’s and men’s well-being? Digital technologies are radically and rapidly changing the way people work, consume, get information and communicate, but their consequences may differ for women and men. Statistics can help understand whether and how the transformation risks widening the … More How’s Life for Women in the Digital Age?

Global growth is weakening: coordinating on fiscal and structural policies can revive euro area growth

March 6, 2019

by Laurence Boone, OECD Chief Economist The global expansion is continuing to lose steam, and faster than anticipated a few months ago. Growth in Europe has been particularly disappointing, as trade growth both within the EU and with external partners has stalled. Business and consumer confidence has plummeted in advanced economies as trade tensions persist, … More Global growth is weakening: coordinating on fiscal and structural policies can revive euro area growth

France, inequality and the social elevator

February 27, 2019

by Laurence Boone, OECD Chief Economist, and Antoine Goujard, Head of the France Desk, OECD Economics Department The recent yellow-vest demonstrations could well be simply a variant of the regional and social divides potentially linked to the same trend towards a rejection of globalisation that has emerged in a number of OECD countries. That is … More France, inequality and the social elevator

La France, les inégalités et l’ascenseur social

February 25, 2019

par Laurence Boone, Cheffe économiste de l’OCDE et Antoine Goujard, Bureau France, Département économique de l’OCDE Les récentes manifestations des gilets jaunes pourraient n’être qu’une variante des fractures territoriales et sociales potentiellement liées à un même phénomène de rejet de la mondialisation qui s’est retrouvé dans plusieurs pays de l’OCDE. C’est probablement en partie le … More La France, les inégalités et l’ascenseur social

Does Denmark need yet another tax reform?

February 21, 2019

By Mikkel Hermansen and Valentine Millot, OECD Economics Department The answer is yes according to the recent OECD Economic Survey of Denmark. The ratio of tax revenue to GDP in Denmark is 46%, very close to the highest country (France: 46.2%) and well above the OECD average (34.2%). Past reforms have made considerable progress in … More Does Denmark need yet another tax reform?

Will the tourist flocks keep landing in Portugal?

February 18, 2019

by Ben Westmore, Head of Portugal Desk, OECD Economics Department Portugal’s export performance has been impressive, sustaining the economy through years of weak domestic demand in the wake of the banking and sovereign debt crisis. As discussed in the 2019 OECD Economic Survey of Portugal, part of the improvement in exports has been due to … More Will the tourist flocks keep landing in Portugal?

Income redistribution across OECD countries: main findings and policy implications

February 14, 2019

By Orsetta Causa, OECD Economics Directorate, and Anna Vindics and James Browne, OECD Directorate for Employment, Labour and Social Affairs Income inequality has increased in most OECD countries over the past two decades. This is both because market incomes (wages, dividends, interest income) have become more unequally distributed, and also because redistribution through taxes and … More Income redistribution across OECD countries: main findings and policy implications

Are digital technologies the new Holy Grail ?

February 12, 2019

By Stéphane Sorbe, Peter Gal, Giuseppe Nicoletti and Christina Timiliotis Digital innovations are everywhere, in our pockets, cars and homes. However, while digital technologies seem to offer great potential to enhance firm productivity, productivity growth has slowed sharply in most OECD countries over the past two decades (Figure 1). One explanation to this puzzle is … More Are digital technologies the new Holy Grail ?

The social exclusion of Roma in the Slovak Republic calls for immediate policy action

February 5, 2019

by Gabriel Machlica, Slovak Republic Desk, OECD Economics Department The Slovak Republic has one of the continent’s largest Roma populations. Estimates differ, but it is assumed that they account for about 8% of the population The Roma communities vary based upon geographic location and the level of integration. Nevertheless, the average level of ethnic segregation … More The social exclusion of Roma in the Slovak Republic calls for immediate policy action

The pension system in Hungary is under pressure from demographic changes

January 31, 2019

by Ania Thiemann, Hungary Desk, OECD Economics Department Over the next 50 years, the old-age dependency ratio will double, and public spending on pensions and health-care is set to increase. People will also spend more time in retirement. The 2019 Economic Survey of Hungary is assessing the demands on public finances arising from this population-ageing … More The pension system in Hungary is under pressure from demographic changes