Global FDI flows decreased by 3% to USD 788 billion in the first half of 2017 compared to the second half of 2016. The overall decrease was due to an 11% drop in Q2 after increasing 3% in Q1.Inflows to the EU decreased by 46%, partly due to a drop in the United Kingdom from the very high levels recorded in the second half of 2016, while outflows decreased by a more modest 12%.

This web page presents the 10 dimensions of the framework for the governance of public infrastructure. The dimensions relate to how governments prioritise, plan, budget, deliver, regulate and evaluate infrastructure investment. Each area covers the principal objective of policy in each area, followed by key questions decision makers need to address and indicators identifying the enabling factors.

The “Freedom of Investment" (FOI) process hosted by the OECD Investment Committee monitors investment policy developments in the 58 economies that participate in the process. This report covers investment measures taken between 16 February 2017 and 15 September 2017.

9 November 2017, New York With the FCPA’s enactment 40 years ago and 20 years after the adoption of the OECD - Anti-Bribery Convention, the global fight against corruption has changed forever. This conference examined the major impact of these ground-breaking instruments on corporate behaviour and law enforcement priorities.

This enforcement data includes the number of criminal, administrative and civil cases of foreign bribery that have resulted in a final disposition, such as a criminal conviction or acquittal, or similar findings under an administrative or civil procedure.

The OECD is developing a general Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Business Conduct to provide practical support to companies on the implementation of the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises. The Due Diligence Guidance contains plain language explanations of the due diligence recommendations and associated provisions in the OECD Guidelines and can be used by companies in any sector of the economy.

The OECD Working Group on Bribery is leading global efforts to fight bribery of foreign public officials in international trade and investment. The fight against foreign bribery is a core shared value that unites all 43 Parties to the Anti-Bribery Convention. This brochure provides a snapshot of 18 years of implementation and enforcement of the Anti-Bribery Convention.

On the occasion of the 20th Anniversary of the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention, this roundtable focused on the impact of the Convention 20 years on, the impact of the Convention on major emerging economies not yet party to the Convention, and the detection of foreign bribery.

This study looks at common sources of detection in foreign bribery cases, untapped sources which are under or not utilised in foreign bribery investigations, and ways in which these methods of detection may be enhanced.

Lithuania has taken significant steps to strengthen its legislative framework to combat foreign bribery. Yet further efforts are needed to ensure effective enforcement of anti-bribery laws with regard to corporate liability and imposing sanctions for foreign bribery, including confiscation, according to a new report by the OECD Working Group on Bribery.

The next review of Sweden’s implementation of the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention, which was scheduled for October 2018, has been delayed until 2019. This is due to the fact that Sweden has not yet enacted legislation to urgently address remaining recommendations to reform its laws on corporate liability for the bribery of foreign public officials.

Australia has stepped up its enforcement of foreign bribery since 2012, when the OECD Working Group on Bribery last evaluated Australia’s implementation of the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention, with seven convictions in two cases and 19 ongoing investigations.

This paper reviews alleged societal benefits and costs of International Investment Agreements (IIAs) as suggested by academia, governments, business and civil society. It sets out the wide range of issues that diverse actors have proposed in the context of assessing the societal benefits and costs of IIAs.

25-26 January 2018 - The first annual meeting of the G20 Global Infrastructure Connectivity Alliance will bring together policy makers and practitioners to discuss the state of play in global connectivity, innovative practices and the outlook for connectivity.

In the wake of the collapse of the Rana Plaza garment factory in Bangladesh in 2013, initiatives to strengthen regulation of global supply chains in the textile and garment sector have multiplied. Tackling the issues involved requires sustained collaboration among industry, government, worker organisations and civil society. This project promotes such collaboration as well as the harmonisation of existing standards in the sector.

In 2018, the OECD Working Group on Bribery launched its fourth phase of monitoring of Chile, Korea and Mexico's implementation of the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention. To assist this evaluation process, the OECD calls for interested parties to provide written submissions on the evaluated countries.

16 February 2018 - OECD and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) launched a pilot project in Paris today to kick-start the practical application of the OECD-FAO Guidance for Responsible Agricultural Supply Chains with 30 leading enterprises.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are increasingly turning to alternative sources of financing, while new bank lending is declining in a number of countries. Many SMEs remain over-reliant on bank credit, however, and the take-up of instruments other than straight debt varies greatly from one country to another, according to a new OECD report.

As part of the implementation strategy for the recently adopted OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains in the Garment and Footwear Sector, the OECD is conducting a series of surveys that target SMEs operating within the sector.

8 March 2018, Paris - On the occasion of International Woman's Day, senior decision-makers from the public and corporate worlds, experts, academics and stakeholders considered different policy approaches and implementation tools on how to close gender gaps in the private sector.

This report builds on national reviews of seven countries in Southeast Asia. It looks at common challenges across the region and at the interplay between regional initiatives and national reforms.

Paris, 12 March 2018 - The fourth annual OECD Investment Treaty Conference addressed treaty shopping -- a controversial investment treaty issue of policy interest for many governments and stakeholders -- and explored tools to help interested governments improve their investment treaty policies.

Poland must make urgent progress on carrying out key recommendations of the OECD Working Group on Bribery that remain unimplemented, more than four years after its Phase 3 evaluation in June 2013.

This study explores good practices and challenges in the detection of international corruption cases via media reporting and investigative journalism.

29/03/2018 - The OECD Working Party on Responsible Business Conduct is seeking candidates for a new Chairs to assist in implementing and promoting the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises.

The consultation on appointing authorities and the selection of arbitrators in investor-state dispute settlement paper and comments received are being made available in order to foster informed public and inter-governmental debate.

The OECD Due Diligence Guidance is being used as the basis and benchmark by many industry initiatives created to ensure the responsible sourcing of minerals. This report presents the findings of a pilot alignment assessment of five industry programmes against the recommendations of the OECD Guidance to gauge the coherence, effectiveness and credibility of these initiatives.

This annual, multi-stakeholder forum provides the opportunity to review and discuss compliance and implementation of the OECD Due Diligence Guidance, the ICGLR Regional Certification Mechanism and other initiatives to enable responsible mineral supply chains.

Many governments seek to promote and facilitate inward investments that they expect will benefit their economy. This paper looks at the merits of an international framework to facilitate investment in support of sustainable and inclusive growth.

Latest statistics for global foreign direct investment (FDI) flows and international mergers and acquisitions (M&A). Analysis, trends and forecasts from the OECD using FDI statistics collected in accordance with latest international guidelines.

Housing Index in South Africa increased to 544.47 Index Points in November from 539.71 Index Points in October of 2016. Housing Index in South Africa averaged 127.55 Index Points from 1966 until 2016, reaching an all time high of 544.47 Index Points in November of 2016 and a record low of 3.62 Index Points in January of 1966. The Absa house price indices are based on the total purchase price of homes in the 80-400 Sq. meter size category, priced at ZAR 4,2 million or less in 2015 (including improvements), in respect of which mortgage loan applications were received and approved by Absa. This page provides - South Africa Housing Index- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Housing Index in France increased to 112.58 points in the fourth quarter of 2019 from 112.27 points in the third quarter of 2019. Housing Index in France averaged 102.40 points from 2006 until 2019, reaching an all time high of 112.58 points in the fourth quarter of 2019 and a record low of 93.63 points in the second quarter of 2006. In France, the House Price Index measures residential property market prices. The HPI captures price changes of all kinds of residential property purchased by households (flats, detached houses, terraced houses, etc.), both new and existing. Only market prices are considered, self-build dwellings are therefore excluded. The land component of the residential property is included. This page provides the latest reported value for - France House Price Index - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

Angola is ranked 177 among 190 economies in the ease of doing business, according to the latest World Bank annual ratings. The rank of Angola deteriorated to 177 in 2019 from 173 in 2018. Ease of Doing Business in Angola averaged 175.92 from 2008 until 2019, reaching an all time high of 183 in 2014 and a record low of 169 in 2009. The Ease of doing business index ranks countries against each other based on how the regulatory environment is conducive to business operationstronger protections of property rights. Economies with a high rank (1 to 20) have simpler and more friendly regulations for businesses. This page includes a chart with historical data for Ease of Doing Business in Angola.

Angola recorded a trade surplus of 4933 USD Million in the third quarter of 2019. Balance of Trade in Angola averaged 9924.08 USD Million from 2002 until 2019, reaching an all time high of 42932 USD Million in the fourth quarter of 2008 and a record low of 958.33 USD Million in the first quarter of 2015. Angola exports mostly crude oil (more than 90% of total exports) and small quantities of diamonds, coffee, sisal and fish. Angola main exports partners are China (more than 40% of total exports), followed by the United States, India, France, Taiwan, South Africa and Canada. Angola imports machinery and electrical equipment, vehicles and spare parts; medicines, food, textiles and military goods. Portugal is the main supplier of the Angolan economy (18% of total imports) followed by China, United States, Brazil and South Africa. This page provides the latest reported value for - Angola Balance of Trade - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

This country note explains how Denmark taxes energy use. The note shows the distribution of effective energy tax rates across all domestic energy use. It also details the country-specific assumptions made when calculating effective energy tax rates and matching tax rates to the corresponding energy base.

The tax-to-GDP ratio in Denmark decreased by 0.8 percentage points from 45.7% in 2017 to 44.9% in 2018. The corresponding figure for the OECD average was a slight increase of 0.1 percentage point from 34.2% to 34.3% over the same period.

This note presents selected findings based on the set of well-being indicators published in How's Life? 2020.

The tax wedge for the average single worker in Denmark remained the same at 35.4 percentage points between 2018 and 2019. The OECD average tax wedge in 2019 was 36.0 (2018, 36.1). In 2019 Denmark had the 23rd lowest tax wedge among the 36 OECD member countries, occupying the same position in 2018.

This country note explains how the Czech Republic taxes energy use. The note shows the distribution of effective energy tax rates across all domestic energy use. It also details the country-specific assumptions made when calculating effective energy tax rates and matching tax rates to the corresponding energy base.

The tax-to-GDP ratio in the Czech Republic increased by 0.4 percentage points from 34.9% in 2017 to 35.3% in 2018. The corresponding figure for the OECD average was a slight increase of 0.1 percentage point from 34.2% to 34.3% over the same period.

This note presents selected findings based on the set of well-being indicators published in How's Life? 2020.

The tax wedge for the average single worker in the Czech Republic increased by 0.1 percentage points from 43.8 in 2018 to 43.9 in 2019. The OECD average tax wedge in 2019 was 36.0 (2018, 36.1). In 2019 the Czech Republic had the 7th highest tax wedge among the 36 OECD member countries, occupying the same position in 2018.

OECD 50th Anniversary Conference, Paris, 22 June 2011.

An overview of the long-term care situation in France is available here.

An overview of the long-term care situation in Finland is available here.

This book examines international drivers, enabling technologies fast-tracking industrial biotechnology, industry trends, some products appearing on the market, industry structure and finance, and policy measures and trends. It examines separately biofuels, biobased chemicals and bioplastics.

The Swiss health system is one of the world’s best but must adapt to deal with rising costs and higher rates of cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes, according to a new OECD/WHO report.

Though overall medical care is improving, efforts to prevent and better manage chronic diseases such as diabetes and asthma would improve results and lower costs, according to the OECD’s latest edition of Health at a Glance.

More people in developed countries are overweight or obese than ever before, dooming them to years of ill-health and early death. New OECD data show however that in some countries obesity rates are slowing, and that’s good news for people’s health and government budgets.

Across OECD countries some 83 million people suffer from diabetes. On current trends, that will rise to almost 100 million by 2030.