Browse by: "F"

The central question tackled here is that of the desirability of foreign direct investment over other flows, such as bank lending. There has been an undoubted rise in FDI flows as a proportion of all flows to the Latin American region, but how much of the cause is supply- or demand-driven remains unclear. Analyses presented in this volume appear to demonstrate that FDI is no better and no worse than other flows for growth and for crisis resistance and, in some cases, may even be a signal of an economy’s ill health. Contrary views, however, are also presented. Where governments compete for FDI, it is widely believed that they participate in a so-called "race to the bottom", lowering labour, environmental and other standards. The surprise here is that this fear is so far largely unfounded. The book also includes a glimpse of a round table discussion on these issues with private-sector participants. The Inter-American Development Bank and the OECD Development Centre created the International Forum on Latin American Perspectives as an annual meeting place of ideas and strategies from Latin America and from the OECD region. The eleventh edition of the Forum was held in Paris in November 2000 and this book contains contributions and analysis from that meeting.

Foreign direct investment (FDI) is one of the driving forces binding countries into closer economic interdependence. The rapid increase in FDI flows has generated considerable debate about its environmental implications, in particular the impacts on environmental quality in the investment host country. A broader issue is the role of FDI in promoting sustainable development. To date, much of the debate has been polemical in nature. This volume moves the debate forward by analysing in a clear and considered manner the key issues in the FDI and environment relationship. Empirical evidence from OECD and non-OECD countries is presented and the strengths and weaknesses of policy and institutional frameworks that guide investors' environmental behaviour are discussed. In addition, the emerging role of voluntary commitments on the environment is examined. Best practices in this area are highlighted. The papers were presented at the OECD Conference on Foreign Direct Investment and the Environment held in January 1999 in The Hague.

The financial crisis in Asia has brought to the fore the question of the appropriate policies for recovery and for future sustainable development. One area of particular importance is the treatment of foreign investors. Foreign direct investment has played a leading role in many of the economies of the region, particularly in export sectors, and has been a vital source of foreign capital during the crisis. The four countries reviewed in this study - Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand - have all tended to welcome inward investment for its contribution to exports but have often been less willing to open up the domestic market to such investors. This study discusses the role assigned to foreign firms in the development strategies of the four countries in the past and looks at how a more balanced approach to the treatment of foreign investors could contribute to a more sustainable development path in the future.

This study examines the link between FDI and development in six dynamic non-Member economies: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines. These countries have all adopted different policies towards FDI in the past, but to a great extent they are all converging on a more open approach. This greater openness, and the overall economic reforms of which FDI liberalisation is but one part, will provide a more fertile environment in which to reap the potential benefits from FDI. FDI can play a key role in improving the capacity of the host country to respond to the opportunities offered by global economic integration, a goal increasingly recognised as one of the key aims of any development strategy. In an environment made more competitive by a decade of economic reforms, many restrictions to FDI in these host countries are at best ineffective and at worst counter-productive.

This cross-country report analyses the legislation on foreign bribery and its enforcement in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. While the report focuses on 25 countries participating in the Anti-Corruption Network for Eastern Europe and Central Asia (ACN), it also includes examples from OECD countries. The report is based on data provided by the ACN governments in the form of replies to questionnaires as well as additional desk research. It also reflects discussions and examples of good practices that were presented during the ACN meetings. The report was prepared in 2015.

Foodborne disease caused by microbiological hazards and chemical contaminants continues to be a growing public health concern, according to the World Health Organisation. This report provides information on the incidence and costs of foodborne disease, which represent a significant economic burden on consumers, the food industry and governments. There is a need to improve interdisciplinary approaches in order to better understand public health issues and their economic consequences. This will also allow policy makers to design appropriate prevention strategies to lower the risk

Tourism is a major part of the contemporary experience economy, in which food plays an important role. Food is a key part of all cultures, a major element of global intangible heritage and an increasingly important attraction for tourists. The linkages between food and tourism also provide a platform for local economic development, which can be strengthened by the use of food experiences for branding and marketing destinations.
One of the major challenges in the experience economy is dealing with the shift towards intangible culture and heritage.  The focus of many tourists has changed from the classic 'must see' physical sights such as museums and monuments towards a ‘must-experience’ imperative to consume intangible expressions of culture, such as atmosphere, creativity and lifestyle.  This provides new opportunities for tourism destinations as well as new challenges, particularly in the areas of experience development, marketing and branding.

This publication provides an understanding of the role of food tourism in local economic development and its potential for country branding. It also presents several innovative case studies in the food tourism sector and the experience industry.

This report, prepared by FAO and the OECD with inputs from IFPRI, IFAD, the World Bank and WTO, has been submitted to the G20 Presidency of the Argentine Republic in response to the Presidency’s request for information on future trends and challenges faced by global agriculture, with a special focus on the role of soils in promoting food security and the measures that could be undertaken to facilitate sustainable soil management.

Highly publicised outbreaks of food-borne diseases have put food safety at the heart of a topical debate. Demands for increased food safety regulation and stricter enforcement have gained momentum. In fact, consumer concerns go well beyond basic food safety. The quality of food and how it is produced, animal welfare, the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), hormones and other growth promoters, cultural preferences, resource sustainability and protection of the environment have all become major issues in the public debate over regulation of the food industry. The issues are complex and the required policy response remains unclear. With the strengthening of international rules, increased trade in consumer food products and the growing use of biotechnology, trade conflicts over food regulatory issues and their reform could become more common. The economic stakes are high and such disputes are likely to remain a priority in the future trade agenda. This report examines the trade conflicts arising from food safety and quality issues. It summarises the key international agreements, illustrates the range and nature of current disputes, reviews the potential contributions of economic analysis to conflict resolution, and identifies areas requiring further analysis.

The Inter-American Development Bank and the OECD have collaborated on a series of reviews of competition law and policy regimes in Latin America since 2003. After a first follow-up study carried out in 2007, this 2012 report assesses the impact of the previous reviews and recommendations on national competition policy and agencies for each of the nine countries reviewed since then: Argentina (2006), Brazil (2005/2010), Chile (2003/2010), Colombia (2009), El Salvador (2008), Honduras (2011), Mexico (2004), Panama (2010) and Peru (2004).

What worries people across Latin America, North America, Israel and Europe? How do attitudes towards governments’ provision of social protection differ cross-nationally? A collaboration between the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the Latin American Public Opinion Project (LAPOP) illustrates how views of economic risk and government effectiveness vary across the Americas and Europe. This report finds that economic discontent is global, as many respondents of both the OECD’s Risks that Matter and LAPOP’s AmericasBarometer surveys say that their country’s economic situation is worse than it was last year, and that public satisfaction with government is low. More than half of all respondents in the OECD and Latin American countries studied in this report say that government is failing to incorporate their views in social policy design and reform.