ECOSCOPE

Defence spending: Economic gains or lasting fiscal challenges?

March 27, 2026March 28, 2026

Rising defence spending may lift economic activity modestly in the short term, but it brings additional fiscal strain while effects on long-run growth are uncertain. Lasting economic benefits are more likely if governments improve procurement and pursue broader structural reforms alongside rearmament.

By Ben Congrave and Young-Hyun Shin, OECD Economics Department

Austria: Restoring the public finances in the face of ageing

March 19, 2026March 20, 2026

Austria enjoys high living standards, strong institutions and a highly skilled workforce. But the economy was hit hard by the energy price shocks following Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. After a strong rebound from the pandemic, activity slowed sharply in 2023–24, leading to a prolonged recession and a sizeable fiscal deficit that stood at 4.5% of GDP in 2025.

By Falilou Fall, OECD Economics Department

Navigating demographic headwinds in Croatia

March 17, 2026March 18, 2026

Croatia’s economy has experienced robust and resilient GDP growth and improved living standards over the past decade. Yet a rapidly shrinking and ageing population threatens future growth and fiscal sustainability. Advancing pension, health care and labour market reforms will be essential to extend working lives, improve healthy ageing and raise labour force participation.

By Federica De Pace and Oliver Roehn, OECD Economics Department

Strengthening Romania’s competitiveness

March 16, 2026March 18, 2026

Romania has made remarkable progress in converging toward OECD income levels over the past two decades, supported by deeper integration into global markets, substantial capital inflows, and wide‑ranging economic reforms.

by Katja Schmidt, OECD Economics Department

The investor base for sovereign debt: Recent developments and potential implications

February 26, 2026March 24, 2026

Long-term sovereign bond yields have risen as fiscal pressures mount and central banks step back from bond markets. With private investors playing a larger role, borrowing costs may remain higher and markets may become more volatile, raising important questions for debt management and financial stability.

By Masatoshi Ando, Ben Conigrave, Álvaro Pina and Caroline Roulet, OECD Economics Department.

Raising Thailand’s productivity through regulatory reform

February 24, 2026March 18, 2026

Thailand has made considerable economic advances over recent decades, but progress has slowed over the past several years, notably in productivity growth.

By Philip Hemmings, Jens Arnold, Charles Dennery and Isabella Medina, OECD Economics Department

Why Argentina needs a labour market reform

February 20, 2026February 20, 2026

Argentina is going through one of the most comprehensive reform efforts in its history. Since late 2023, the authorities have taken unprecedented measures to reform fiscal, monetary, trade and regulatory policies, all of which have triggered significant improvements in the business environment. For this transformation to translate into new jobs and better living standards, policymakers need to continue reducing institutional and market frictions that impose costs on the reallocation of workers from low- to high-productivity sectors.