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.

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.

In a vigorous policy debate over investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS), adjudicator selection has emerged as an important new subject. The OECD’s David Gaukrodger looks at why adjudicator selection is attracting attention.

Portugal recorded a government budget deficit of 667 EUR Million in February of 2020. Government Budget Value in Portugal averaged -3529.54 EUR Million from 1990 until 2020, reaching an all time high of 271 EUR Million in January of 2000 and a record low of -14745 EUR Million in December of 2010. The government budget balance is the difference between government revenues and expenses. The budget is balanced when outlays equal to receipts, the country reports budget surplus when revenues are higher than expenses and deficit when expenses exceed the revenues. This page provides - Portugal Government Budget Value - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Housing Index in China decreased to 7.10 percent in November from 7.80 percent in October of 2019. Housing Index in China averaged 4.65 percent from 2011 until 2019, reaching an all time high of 12.60 percent in November of 2016 and a record low of -6.10 percent in March of 2015. In China, Housing Index is measured by year over year change in house prices in 70 medium and large cities. This page provides the latest reported value for - China Newly Built House Prices YoY Change - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

Housing Index in Germany increased to 174.85 points in March from 172.98 points in February of 2020. Housing Index in Germany averaged 117.03 points from 1991 until 2020, reaching an all time high of 174.85 points in March of 2020 and a record low of 95.50 points in May of 2009. In Germany, Housing Index is measured by the price index of housing sales. This page provides the latest reported value for - Germany House Price Index - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

Housing Index in the United States increased to 0.70 percent in February from 0.50 percent in January of 2020. Housing Index in the United States averaged 0.30 percent from 1991 until 2020, reaching an all time high of 1.20 percent in January of 2000 and a record low of -1.80 percent in November of 2008. The FHFA (Federal Housing Finance Agency) House Price Index measures month over month changes in average prices of single-family houses with mortgages guaranteed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. This page provides the latest reported value for - United States House Price Index MoM Change - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

Temperature in Angola increased to 23.52 celsius in December from 23.43 celsius in November of 2015. Temperature in Angola averaged 21.83 celsius from 1857 until 2015, reaching an all time high of 25.17 celsius in October of 2005 and a record low of 17.23 celsius in July of 1932. This page includes a chart with historical data for Angola Average Temperature.

Precipitation in Angola increased to 193.26 mm in December from 119.29 mm in November of 2015. Precipitation in Angola averaged 82.07 mm from 1901 until 2015, reaching an all time high of 310.41 mm in January of 1912 and a record low of 0 mm in June of 1946. This page includes a chart with historical data for Angola Average Precipitation.

Angola recorded a government budget deficit of 1139.90 AOA Billion in 2017. Government Budget Value in Angola averaged -13.59 AOA Billion from 2003 until 2017, reaching an all time high of 1000.90 AOA Billion in 2011 and a record low of -1139.90 AOA Billion in 2017. The government budget balance is the difference between government revenues and expenses. The budget is balanced when outlays equal to receipts, the country reports budget surplus when revenues are higher than expenses and deficit when expenses exceed the revenues. This page provides - Angola Government Budget Value- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

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.

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 Germany is available here.

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.

The OECD’s latest edition of Health at a Glance shows that medical care is improving in OECD countries, but better prevention and management of chronic diseases is required to reduce costs.

This book introduces the concept of knowledge networks and markets (KNMs) in the life sciences, the emerging organisations and mechanisms to share and trade an increasing variety of knowledge assets.

Increasingly complex and inconsistent clinical trial regulations are causing delays, raising costs and leading to a decline in the number of international trials conducted by academics for non-commerical purposes.

To pursue economic growth, Russia must develop its human capital, which requires structural reforms in education, healthcare and pensions. These, in turn, must respond to major trends in service provision, including the increasing role of individual choice, the need to deliver lifelong learning and healthcare, and the risk that Russians will increasingly buy services abroad, rather than work to develop their own national systems.

Norway is better placed to cope with population ageing than most other countries. But it could still do more to improve incentives and opportunities for people to stay working longer which would help ensure the country’s long-term future, according to a new OECD report.

This report presents the findings of a research project to investigate the drivers and criteria shaping the application of genomic biotechnology to health in different national settings, and the barriers to implementation nationally and internationally. Findings are based on case studies on Finland, Israel, Luxembourg, Mexico, the United Kingdom, China and South Africa.

To help inform the Conference on Managing Hospital Volumes, co-organised by the German Federal Ministry of Health and the OECD, and held on the 11th April 2013 in Berlin, the OECD Secretariat produced a paper to provide an international perspective on Germany’s situation and the current policy debate.

Total health spending has fallen in one of three OECD countries between 2009 and 2011, with those hardest hit by the crisis most affected. This is a sharp reversal from the strong growth in the years prior to the crisis, according to a new OECD report.

An ageing population brings new challenges both to healthcare systems and to medicine in terms of the increased manifestation of specific diseases primarily seen in the elderly. Biomedical innovation, and in particular research into "omics technologies", offers the promise of new means of detection, prevention and treatment of age-related disabilities and diseases.

Elderly individuals with complex, chronic diseases need continuous and tailored care to maintain their health and maximise their ability to participate in society. Japan must change the way it delivers health services for older citizens by strengthening its specialist primary care and making mental health care services more widely available, according to a new OECD report.

Mr. Angel Gurría was in The Hague to attend the High-Level Policy Forum on Mental Health and Work Policy Challenges in OECD Countries, where he presented key findings of the OECD Fit Mind Fit Job report and was awarded the Grand Cross of the Order of Orange Nassau.

Dementia is increasing in prevalence, and to date has no cure or treatment. One element in improving this situation is using and sharing data more widely to increase the power of research. Further, moving beyond established medical data into big data offers the potential to tap into routinely collected data from both within and outside the health system.

OECD insights blog: Francesca Colombo, Head of the OECD Health Division, discusses the issues related to health systems and an ageing population.

The Portuguese National Health Service has responded well to financial pressure, successfully balancing the twin priorities of financial consolidation and continuous quality improvement, according to a new OECD report.

Colombia has significantly improved its health system over the past 20 years, leading to a rise in life expectancy and a fall in infant mortality. To maintain its ambition of universal, high-quality health care, Colombia should now focus on improving efficiency and strengthening financial sustainability, according to a new OECD report.

In the ten years since the introduction of Seguro Popular, some 50 million Mexicans previously at risk of unaffordable health care bills now have access to health insurance. The OECD Review of Health Systems: Mexico 2016 finds that the share of the population exposed to unaffordable or impoverishing health care costs has fallen from 3.3% to 0.8% of the population in the past decade.

Urgent research is needed to assess the possible risks to human health and ecosystems from the ever-increasing amounts of engineered nanomaterials going into household waste and ending up in the environment, according to a new OECD report.

This paper looks at recent trends in pharmaceutical spending across OECD countries. It examines the drivers of recent spending trends, highlighting differences across therapeutic classes, and then looks at emerging challenges for policy makers in the management of pharmaceutical spending.

The High-Level Commission on Health Employment and Economic Growth, chaired by H.E. François Hollande and H.E. Jacob Zuma, today delivered its final report and recommendations to United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

Latvia has successfully consolidated its hospital sector and strengthened primary care since the financial crisis. But persistent barriers to accessing high quality care need to be removed, according to a new OECD report.

Asia-Pacific countries should strengthen their health systems and sharply increase spending to deliver effective universal coverage in order to meet the changing needs of their fast ageing populations, according to a new OECD report.

Universal Health Coverage is about everyone having access to good quality health services without suffering financial hardship. Although most OECD countries offer all their citizens affordable access to a comprehensive package of health services, they face challenges in sustaining and enhancing such universal systems.

There is now strong evidence that microbiomes play an important role in human health, as there are clear linkages to many major non-communicable diseases. This report assesses the key policy challenges for innovation in the microbiome. It argues that if such a promising scientific field is to lead to innovative applications, policies on science and innovation must be improved in five areas.

Asia’s pension systems need modernising urgently to deliver secure, sustainable and adequate retirement incomes for today’s workers in the context of the rapid population ageing that will occur over the next two decades, according to a new OECD report.

How can government policies move towards increasing agricultural innovation and improving productivity? This OECD conference shared case studies and ideas from Europe, China, United States, India, Africa, Brazil, Australia and New Zealand.

Australia’s enforcement of its foreign bribery laws has been extremely low, with just a single case leading to prosecutions out of 28 referrals in 13 years. Cases may have been closed prematurely. Australia must vigorously pursue foreign bribery allegations.

Australia’s labour market reforms over the past 15 years have boosted employment and cut welfare benefit dependency.

The Australian economy is robust and faces a solid short-term outlook, but it must continue adapting to ensure that its privileged place in the Asia-Pacific region contributes to long-term sustainable growth, according to the OECD’s latest Economic Survey of Australia.

Australia delivered USD 5.44 billion in official development assistance (ODA) last year, or 0.36% of its gross national income. It is the eighth most generous country in the OECD’s Development Assistance Committee (DAC), which groups the world’s major donors. Australia’s goal is to reach 0.5% of GNI by 2017 – a goal the DAC encourages it to follow through on, given its good track record and relatively strong economy.

Slower growth in key markets like China and India is reducing momentum across the Australian economy, cutting into employment opportunities and putting more pressure on the government to ensure that public policy delivers optimal results for growth and job creation.

Mr. Angel Gurría, Secretary-General of the OECD, was in Sydney from 21 to 23 February 2014 to attend the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meetings. While in Sydney, the Secretary-General launched the 2014 OECD Going for Growth report, alongside Mr. Joseph Benedict "Joe" Hockey, Treasurer of Australia.

Mr. Angel Gurría, Secretary-General of the OECD, will be in Sydney from 17 to 20 July 2014 to attend the G20 Trade Ministers Meeting.

According to a new OECD report, variation in rates of health care activity between geographic areas within a country may be a cause for concern. Wide variation suggests that whether or not patients receive a particular health service depends on the region where they live within a country.

The G20 needs to go structural, social, and green! With fiscal and monetary policy room nearly exhausted, structural reforms are the best choices, sometimes the only choice. The OECD battle cry in this regard has been unchanged since 2008: “go structural!”.

Mr. Angel Gurría was in Brisbane to attend the G20 Leaders' Summit on 15-16 November. Prior to the Summit, the Secretary-General attended a G20 Finance Ministers Meeting, as well as L20 and B20 meetings.