Today, Saudi Arabia signed the Multilateral Convention to Implement Tax Treaty Related Measures to Prevent Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (the Convention). Saudi Arabia becomes the 84th jurisdiction to join the Convention, which now covers over 1,400 bilateral tax treaties.

Australia, France, Japan and the Slovak Republic have deposited their instrument of ratification or acceptance for the Multilateral Convention to Implement Tax Treaty Related Measures to Prevent Base Erosion and Profit Shifting with the OECD’s Secretary-General, therewith underlining their strong commitment to prevent the abuse of tax treaties and BEPS by multinational enterprises.

The Global Forum held its annual meeting in Uruguay on 20-22 November, bringing together 220 delegates from 84 jurisdictions and 12 International organisations to strengthen further the international community’s fight against tax evasion. The meeting marked the widespread rollout of automatic exchange of financial account of information.

This week, in the margins of the 11th Global Forum meeting held in Punta del Este, Uruguay Minister of Economy and Finance Danilo Astori led a discussion with Ministers, high level representatives and officials from Latin America on the use of information exchange to combat tax fraud and corruption.

The purpose of the CbC MCAA is to set forth rules and procedures as may be necessary for Competent Authorities of jurisdictions implementing BEPS Action 13 to automatically exchange CbC Reports prepared by the Reporting Entity of an MNE Group and filed on an annual basis with the tax authorities of the jurisdiction of tax residence of that entity with the tax authorities of all jurisdictions in which the MNE Group operates.

Today, at the OECD Headquarters in Paris, H.E. Aichetou Mint M’Haiham, Ambassador of Mauritania to France, signed the Multilateral Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters (the Convention) in the presence of the OECD Deputy Secretary-General Ludger Schuknecht. Mauritania is the 127th jurisdiction to join the Convention.

On 5 March, Morocco and Cameroon launched a new TIWB South-South bilateral programme in Yaoundé. The programme, a first between two Francophone African countries, will see Moroccan tax audit experts providing support to Cameroon.

The OECD welcomes France's new programme on co-operative compliance, announced today. Co-operative compliance is an initiative for promoting better tax compliance developed by the OECD Forum on Tax Administration.

The OECD is encouraging tax administrations around the globe to step up their efforts to support the fight against money laundering and terrorist financing with the launch of a handbook intended to raise the awareness of tax examiners, auditors, and investigators of the important role they can play in combatting these crimes.

The average tax-to-GDP ratio for the 26 countries participating in the new edition of Revenue Statistics in Africa was unchanged at 17.2% for the third consecutive year in 2017. This was lower than the averages for Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) at 22.8% and for the OECD at 34.2%, underlining the need for urgent action to enhance domestic revenue mobilisation in Africa.

Today marks an important milestone for the OECD/UNDP Tax Inspectors Without Borders initiative (TIWB) with the launch of a project on automatic exchange of information. The project, which will be co-ordinated with the Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes, was unveiled during its 10th Anniversary Meeting in Paris, France.

The work on BEPS Action 14 continues with today's publication of the seventh round of stage 1 peer review reports. Each report assesses a country's efforts to implement the Action 14 minimum standard as agreed to under the OECD/G20 BEPS Project.

Tax revenues in advanced economies reached a plateau during 2018, with almost no change seen since 2017, according to new OECD research. This ends the trend of annual increases in the tax-to-GDP ratio seen since the financial crisis.

Viet Nam and Palau join the international fight against tax evasion by becoming the 159th and 160th member of the Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes.

Part I reports on the activities in the OECD's international tax agenda, in particular the progress made in addressing the tax challenges arising from the digitalisation of the economy. It also provides an update on G20 tax deliverables including tax transparency, implementation of BEPS measures & capacity building to support developing countries. Part II reports on the activities of the Global Forum.

The Global Forum and the Italian Revenue Agency carried out an onsite visit in Tirana to assist Albania with the implementation of the international standard of automatic exchange of financial account information (AEOI).

Comprised of 34 Global Forum members, the Automatic Exchange of Information Peer Review Group (APRG) held its first meeting on 16-18 March 2020 to discuss key issues in ensuring that jurisdictions are putting in place what is required to deliver an effective AEOI Standard, as well as how the recent developments in relation to Covid-19 might impact expectations.

The work on BEPS Action 14 continues with today's publication of the stage 2 peer review monitoring reports of the seven jurisdictions in batch 2: Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg and Sweden.

Exports (Bop) - Communications And Audio And Video Equipment in Canada decreased to 347.50 CAD Million in March from 371.20 CAD Million in February of 2020. Exports (Bop) - Communications And Audio And Video in Canada averaged 543.67 CAD Million from 1988 until 2020, reaching an all time high of 1812.70 CAD Million in May of 2000 and a record low of 110.20 CAD Million in April of 1988. This page includes a chart with historical data for Canada Exports of (bop) - Communications And Audio And V.

Weapons Sales in Australia decreased to 38 USD Million in 2018 from 98 USD Million in 2017. Weapons Sales in Australia averaged 50.54 USD Million from 1952 until 2018, reaching an all time high of 158 USD Million in 1990 and a record low of 2 USD Million in 1961. Weapons Sales are presented as a Trend-Indicator Value based on the known unit production costs of a core set of weapons such as aircraft, air defence systems, anti-submarine warfare weapons, armoured vehicles, artillery, engines, missiles, sensors, satellites, ships and others. The indicator aims to represent the transfer value of military resources rather than the financial value of the transfer.

Weapons Sales in Austria decreased to 5 USD Million in 2018 from 22 USD Million in 2017. Weapons Sales in Austria averaged 32.35 USD Million from 1966 until 2018, reaching an all time high of 248 USD Million in 1985 and a record low of 1 USD Million in 1967. Weapons Sales are presented as a Trend-Indicator Value based on the known unit production costs of a core set of weapons such as aircraft, air defence systems, anti-submarine warfare weapons, armoured vehicles, artillery, engines, missiles, sensors, satellites, ships and others. The indicator aims to represent the transfer value of military resources rather than the financial value of the transfer.

Business Inventories in Australia increased 0.30 percent in December of 2019 over the previous month. Business Inventories in Australia averaged 0.51 percent from 1985 until 2019, reaching an all time high of 2.90 percent in the first quarter of 1999 and a record low of -2.80 percent in the third quarter of 1986. Business Inventories in Australia measure the quarterly percentage changes in inventories from manufacturers, retailers, and wholesalers. Inventories are a key component of gross domestic product. . This page provides - Australia Business Inventories- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Banks Balance Sheet in Australia increased to 5510.55 AUD Billion in the first quarter of 2020 from 4757.86 AUD Billion in the fourth quarter of 2019. Banks Balance Sheet in Australia averaged 1879.47 AUD Billion from 1990 until 2020, reaching an all time high of 5510.55 AUD Billion in the first quarter of 2020 and a record low of 322.97 AUD Billion in the first quarter of 1990. This page provides - Australia Banks Balance Sheet - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Australia recorded a government budget deficit of 9814 AUD Million in March of 2020. Government Budget Value in Australia averaged -604.10 AUD Million from 1973 until 2020, reaching an all time high of 14307 AUD Million in April of 2007 and a record low of -23705 AUD Million in June of 2012. 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 - Australia Government Budget Value - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Die OECD-Arbeitsgruppe gegen Bestechung bedauert, dass in Österreich bisher noch kein Urteil wegen der Bestechung von ausländischen Amtsträgern ergangen ist, obwohl seit der Ratifizierung des entsprechenden OECD-Übereinkommens vor 13 Jahren eine Reihe von Vorwürfen vorlag.

The OECD Working Group on Bribery regrets that Austria has not had a conviction of bribing foreign public officials despite a number of allegations, 13 years after ratifying the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention. However, enforcement appears to be picking up, with one case being tried, two more cases soon to be tried, and four ongoing investigations.

The OECD Working Group on Bribery will release a report tomorrow Wednesday 18 December at 12.00 CET/11.00 Dublin time on Ireland’s efforts to fight foreign bribery.

The OECD Foreign Bribery Report was launched by the OECD Secretary-General in Paris on 2 December 2014. This ground breaking report analyses data emerging from all foreign bribery enforcement actions concluded since the entry into force of the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention and for the first time ‘measures’ the crime of corruption.

OECD Ministers have endorsed updated guidelines to help national governments and regional groups create the right conditions to attract domestic and foreign investment.

The OECD Working Group on Bribery will release a review of Israel’s efforts to fight foreign bribery on Wednesday 24 June 2015 at 11.00 CET.

11 March, Paris, France: This high-level launch event included a panel discussion that addressed the potential impacts of companies operating in agricultural supply chains on human, labour and tenure rights.

New guidance from the AfDB and the OECD will help African companies of all sizes set up measures to prevent bribery and improve the quality of corporate compliance and anti-bribery policies.

Foreign bribery enforcement in the UK has increased significantly since 2012 notably thanks to the pragmatic and effective approach taken by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) to investigate and resolve foreign bribery cases.

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.

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.

Housing Index in Australia decreased to -3 percent in the first quarter of 2019 from -2.40 percent in the fourth quarter of 2018. Housing Index in Australia averaged 1.43 percent from 2002 until 2019, reaching an all time high of 6.10 percent in the second quarter of 2002 and a record low of -3 percent in the first quarter of 2019. In Australia, House Price Index measures weighted average of price movements for residential properties for eight capital cities: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Canberra, Hobart, Darwin and Perth. Residential properties are defined as detached residential dwellings on their own block of land regardless of age. . This page provides the latest reported value for - Australia House Price Index - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

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

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

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.

Australians continue to enjoy one of the highest levels of health across the developed world but need to address Australia’s growing obesity problem, according to a new OECD report.

Austria needs to do more to help people with mental health problems find a job or stay in the workplace, according to a new OECD report. A more comprehensive approach would help employees and firms alike: mental health issues are estimated to cost the Austrian economy around 3.6% of GDP every year in lost productivity, health care and out-of-work benefits.

Australia should improve the integration of care across the patient pathway to prepare for a rise in chronic disease and make the health system less complex for patients, according to a new OECD report.

The recent mental health reform is an important step towards better services for people with mental ill-health, but Australia needs to do more to help people with mild to moderate mental health issues at and into work, 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.

The Australian health system is a complex mix of federal and state government funding and responsibility, making it difficult for patients to navigate. Despite its complexity, Australia’s universal health system achieves good results relatively efficiently.

Outdoor air pollution could cause 6 to 9 million premature deaths a year by 2060 and cost 1% of global GDP – around USD 2.6 trillion annually – as a result of sick days, medical bills and reduced agricultural output, unless action is taken, according to a new OECD report.

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.

This one-pager note presents key findings for Australia from Society at a Glance 2011 - OECD Social indicators. This 2011 publication also provides a special chapter on unpaid work across the OECD.

This note highlights the most pressing issues on families and children in Australia, as discussed in the OECD publication Doing Better for Families.

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