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To boost their domestic saving rate, many OECD countries have introduced savings accounts that offer tax advantages, called tax-preferred savings accounts. This report describes and analyses various tax-preferred savings accounts, excluding pension-related accounts, in a cross-section of 11 OECD countries. Based on a comparison of results, the report then answers the following questions: (1) which income groups benefit the most from these accounts; (2) to what extent do these accounts generate additional savings; and (3) how much tax revenue is foregone due to these accounts.Based on the findings, the report also suggests measures on how to improve the effectiveness of tax-preferred savings accounts.
La Table Ronde analyse la raison d’être de la libéralisation du secteur des taxis et l’expérience acquise dans les pays membres de l’OCDE et de la CEMT en matière de réglementation de la profession. Cette réglementation s’articule autour de plusieurs axes, à savoir l’accès au marché, les tarifs et la qualité des services. Le débat conceptuel arrive à la conclusion que la thèse selon laquelle des restrictions à l’entrée du marché améliorent l’utilisation de la capacité n’est guère étayée par les faits. Au contraire, on peut alléguer que l’augmentation du nombre d’entrées dans la profession et les économies de densité qui en découlent, ainsi que la diminution des temps d’attente pour l’usager, justifient l’octroi de subventions à l’entrée.
Although small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Mexico make up most of the firms in the formal economy, they are hampered by a lack of financing and skilled workers. This book assesses the comprehensive SME policies introduced by the Federal Government during the past six years. While lauding the improvements achieved by the new policy measures, including better access to financing, reduced lead times for firm creation, and higher survival rates, the review cautions that the capacity of states and local authorities to absorb federal policy programmes needs to be enhanced and tailor-made initiatives in favour of micro firms need to be expanded. In addition, the review makes practical recommendations on how to improve policy co-ordination, create an efficiency evaluation culture at all levels of government, and strengthen the entrepreneurial business environment.
Ce rapport présente la première analyse internationale systématique des effets du changement climatique sur la fiabilité de l’enneigement dans les Alpes. Ces dernières années ont été parmi les plus chaudes des cinq siècles écoulés, et les projections des modèles climatiques annoncent des changements encore plus nets dans la région au cours des décennies à venir. Conjuguée au recul des glaciers et à la fonte du permafrost en altitude, la diminution de la quantité de neige, plus bas, aura un impact non négligeable sur les activités touristiques tributaires de la neige et sur la gestion des risques naturels.
Au-delà des Alpes, les implications de cette évaluation peuvent être extrapolées à d’autres chaînes de montagnes susceptibles d’être confrontées à des problèmes climatiques et contextuels similaires, par exemple en Amérique du Nord, en Australie et en Nouvelle-Zélande.
Taxing Wages provides unique information on income tax paid by workers and social security contributions levied on employees and their employers in OECD countries. In addition, this annual publication specifies family benefits paid as cash transfers. Amounts of taxes and benefits are detailed program by program, for eight household types which differ by income level and household composition. Results reported include the marginal and effective tax burden for one- and two-earner families, and total labour costs of employers. This year's issue includes a Special feature entitled "Part-time Work and Taxing Wages".
Korea faces an extraordinary ageing challenge. Korea will age much faster than other OECD countries: in 2000, about 7% of Korea’s population were over 65; in 2050, senior citizens will constitute about 37% of Korea’s population. Population ageing will unfold at high speed, firstly because of the dramatic increase in life expectancy from just over 52 years in 1960 to over 77 years in 2004. a major cause of this was the spectacular decrease in infant mortality rates from 45 infants per 1000 live births in 1970 to 5.3 in 2002. The second cause of population ageing is the sharp decline in birth rates from close to 3 children per woman in 1975 to less than 1.2 in 2004. Reduced child mortality rates and increased life expectancy are indicators of the success of the Korean economy and society. However, the decline in fertility rates in Korea is evidence of strains in society which will damage prosperity in the future.
Population ageing on this scale will inevitably lead to a huge increase in spending on old-age income support and health care, and will also require the development of a public family policy which supports the reconciliation of work and care commitments of workers. To successfully meet the ageing challenge, the OECD believes that three policy objectives must be targeted. First, the decline in the working-age population needs to be slowed. Second, working opportunities need to be extended. Third, affordable and sustainable pension and health care policies must be implemented. This volume looks at existing Korean family, health and pension policies from an international perspective, considers them in view of the emerging policy challenges, and outlines some of the policy options that are available to policy makers in Korea.
L'innovation a été un élément majeur dans le déploiement réussi de l'énergie nucléaire et demeure essentielle aujourd'hui pour son avenir durable. Dans la mesure où l'énergie nucléaire est une option intéressante pour assurer la diversité et la sécurité de l'approvisionnment énergétique et pour lutter contre le risque de réchauffement planétaire, la façon de poursuivre l'innovation dans ce domaine est une question importante pour l'industrie et les gouvernments intéressés. Ce rapport présente un panorama de l'état de l'art concernant les systèmes actuels d'innovation dans le domaine nucléaire, notamment ses axes majeurs, ses principaux acteurs, ses cadres institutionnels et juridiques et l'infrastructure pour la gestion des compétences et des programmes. Il propose également des recommendations stratégiques formulées à partir de rapports et d'études de cas fournis par les pays participants.
As the share of the population aged 65 and over grows rapidly in the next decades across most of the OECD, the number of fall-related injuries could rise dramatically, and with it, the strains on hospitals, medical services, social services and public budgets. This OECD review of risk management policies focuses on Sweden because, with the ageing of its society already at a quite advanced stage, it exemplifies many of the current and future problems that OECD countries face in addressing fall-related injuries and fatalities among the elderly. The report looks at Sweden's policies in the area of older people's safety and well-being, seeking out and identifying good practices and areas where improvements could be made. It offers lessons that other countries can also draw from. While the report underscores the importance of the management of fall accidents, it also emphasizes the more general point that multidisciplinary and forward-looking approaches to safety and risk are essential for any policy concerning older people.
Innovation has been a driving force in the successful deployment of nuclear energy and remains essential today for its sustainable future. As nuclear energy is an attractive option for ensuring diversity and security of energy supply, as well as lower global climate change risks, the way to continue this innovation is a key issue for industry and interested governments. This report provides an overview of the state of the art in nuclear innovation systems, including their driving forces, main actors, institutional and legal frameworks, and infrastructure for knowledge and programme management. It also offers policy recommendations based on country reports and case studies supplied by participating member countries.
Cette première publication de la série Les essentiels de l’OCDE examine l’importance grandissante du capital humain dans la vie économique et sociale – notre éducation, nos qualifications, nos compétences et notre savoir. Alors que l'économie des pays développés se tertiarise, le succès économique des individus et des économies nationales dépend de plus en plus de la qualité du capital humain. Enrichir ce capital devient donc une priorité majeure des pouvoirs publics, notamment pour les travailleurs peu qualifiés qui risquent d’être marginalisés davantage.
Mettre l’accent sur le développement de la petite enfance, améliorer la qualité et le choix de l’enseignement scolaire, viser l’excellence dans les établissements d’enseignement supérieur, et enfin faciliter l’accès à l’éducation et à la formation des adultes, sont quelques unes des pistes suivies. S’inspirant d’études et d’analyses de l’OCDE, cette publication dynamique explique en termes simples comment les pays de l’OCDE relèvent le défi et tentent d’augmenter leur capital humain.
This publication provides comprehensive data on the volume, origin and types of aid and other resource flows to around 150 developing countries for the period 2001-2005. The data show each country's intake of Official Development Assistance or Official Aid, as well as other official and private funds from members of the Development Assistance Committee of the OECD, multilateral agencies and other donors. Key development indicators are given for reference.
This first book in the new OECD Insights Series examines the increasing economic and social importance of human capital - our education, skills, competencies, and knowledge. As economies in developed countries shift away from manufacturing, economic success for individuals and national economies is increasingly reliant on the quality of human capital. Raising human capital has emerged as a key policy priority, particularly for low-skilled individuals, who are at risk of being left even further behind.
Policy in this area is focusing on early childhood development, improving quality and choice in schooling, creating excellence in tertiary education, and widening access to adult learning. Drawing on the research and analysis of the OECD, this dynamic new book uses straightforward language to explain how countries across the OECD area are responding to the challenge of raising their levels of human capital. This book includes Statlinks, URLs linking statistical tables and graphs in the text of the book to Excel spreadsheets showing the underlying data.
This report investigates the potential for harmonisation of test methods for antimicrobial biocides used in treated articles/materials. It analyses and assesses current protocols to develop harmonised test methods and performance standards for the efficacy testing of biocides used in treated articles.