Start-up rates in most countries are edging back toward their pre-crisis levels, but not all countries have seen significant acceleration in new businesses, according to a new OECD report.

Growth, Innovation And Competitiveness: Maximising The Benefits Of Knowledge-Based Capital

Advanced economies are pushing up carbon emissions, traffic congestion and air pollution by under-taxing company cars and diesel fuel, according to new OECD research.

This country note explains how Hungary 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 wedge for the average single worker in Hungary decreased by 0.4 percentage points from 45.0 in 2018 to 44.6 in 2019. The OECD average tax wedge in 2019 was 36.0 (2018, 36.1). In 2019 Hungary had the 6th highest tax wedge among the 36 OECD member countries, occupying the same position in 2018.

This country note explains how France 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 wedge for the average single worker in France decreased by 0.3 percentage points from 47.0 in 2018 to 46.7 in 2019. The OECD average tax wedge in 2019 was 36.0 (2018, 36.1). In 2019 France had the 5th highest tax wedge among the 36 OECD member countries, occupying the same position in 2018.

This country note explains how Iceland 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 wedge for the average single worker in Iceland decreased by 0.3 percentage points from 33.4 in 2018 to 33.1 in 2019. The OECD average tax wedge in 2019 was 36.0 (2018, 36.1). In 2019 Iceland had the 25th lowest tax wedge among the 36 OECD member countries, compared with the 24th in 2018.

This country note explains how Greece 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 wedge for the average single worker in Greece decreased by 0.2 percentage points from 41.0 in 2018 to 40.8 in 2019. The OECD average tax wedge in 2019 was 36.0 (2018, 36.1). In 2019 Greece had the 14th highest tax wedge among the 36 OECD member countries, compared with the 13th in 2018.

This country note explains how Italy 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 wedge for the average single worker in Italy increased by 0.2 percentage points from 47.8 in 2018 to 48.0 in 2019. The OECD average tax wedge in 2019 was 36.0 (2018, 36.1). In 2019 Italy had the 3rd highest tax wedge among the 36 OECD member countries, occupying the same position in 2018.

The open Internet combined with today’s emerging technologies has launched the information revolution and is powering the global digital economy. Everyone has a stake in that development, both as individuals and in the organizations in which we serve and affiliate ourselves.

Mexico has become a frontrunner in a short time in making government data publicly accessible, but it now needs to put this wealth of digital information to use to foster innovation and benefit the Mexican economy and society, according to a new OECD report.

Mexico’s 2013 telecom reform has brought tangible benefits, spurring competition that has increased access and brought down mobile Internet costs from among the highest in advanced economies to among the lowest.

The OECD organised a webinar "The Future of Open Government Data in Mexico: Challenges and Experiences in OECD countries". The webinar was open to everyone and seeked to help the Mexican Government to prioritise the definition and implementation of strategic actions that contribute to the continuity and maturity of OGD policy in the short and medium term.

The reforms to the pensions system in Mexico, especially the introduction of a system of individual defined contribution accounts, have significantly improved the system’s financial sustainability.

The tax wedge for the average single worker in Korea increased by 0.3 percentage points from 23.0 in 2018 to 23.3 in 2019. The OECD average tax wedge in 2019 was 36.0 (2018, 36.1). In 2019 Korea had the 31st lowest tax wedge among the 36 OECD member countries, occupying the same position in 2018.

This country note explains how Estonia 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 wedge for the average single worker in Estonia increased by 1.0 percentage point from 36.2 in 2018 to 37.2 in 2019. The OECD average tax wedge in 2019 was 36.0 (2018, 36.1). In 2019 Estonia had the 19th highest tax wedge among the 36 OECD member countries, compared with the 20th in 2018.

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This country note explains how Luxembourg 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 wedge for the average single worker in Luxembourg increased by 0.2 percentage points from 38.2 in 2018 to 38.4 in 2019. The OECD average tax wedge in 2019 was 36.0 (2018, 36.1). In 2019 Luxembourg had the 17th highest tax wedge among the 36 OECD member countries, compared with the 18th in 2018.

Mexico’s river basins are under severe water stress. The quality of rivers, lakes and aquifers is declining and floods, droughts, and hurricanes are more frequent. These are some of the alerts signaled in OECD’s Making Water Reform Happen in Mexico.

Mexico is faced with difficult trade-offs as it pursues its economic, social and environmental goals. Like other emerging economies Mexico is balancing the need to protect its natural resources with the need to address high levels of income inequality and poverty.

Advanced economies are pushing up carbon emissions, traffic congestion and air pollution by under-taxing company cars and diesel fuel, according to new OECD research.

Paris is a beautiful city but has an ugly problem with air pollution. Using 2 wheels to get to work, one becomes acutely aware of this insidious addiction to cars, and the “essence” of the problem, DIESEL.

OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría announced today at the One Planet Summit in Paris the launch of the “Paris Collaborative on Green Budgeting”, a strategic initiative to assess and drive the alignment of national budgetary processes with the Paris Agreement and other environmental goals.

Mr. Angel Gurría, Secretary-General of the OECD, will be in Mexico on 2-3 May 2019 to present the 2019 OECD Economic Survey of Mexico.

Based on an in-depth literature review and responses to a survey among OECD member countries, this paper discusses the use of flexibility mechanisms in environmental regulations. The literature on these issues is limited, but it is clear that some such mechanisms can have important environmental and economic impacts.

Mexico has taken action on a number of fronts to implement green growth policies, including integrating climate change mitigation and adaptation plans into their National Development Plan, and implementing energy price schemes that reflect the opportunity costs of consumption. Mexico is also developing its green growth indicators, using the OECD set of green growth indicators proposed in “Towards Green Growth: Monitoring Progress

Mexico is faced with difficult trade-offs as it pursues its economic, social and environmental goals. Like other emerging economies Mexico is balancing the need to protect its natural resources with the need to address high levels of income inequality and poverty.

As Mexico seeks to boost economic growth, pressures on its natural resources and environmental outcomes may intensify, jeopardizing the sustainability of that growth and the well-being of the population.

The Green Growth and Sustainable development Forum is an annual event, and the third Forum will take place on 13-14 November 2014. This blog highlights the importance of the Forum, and how, far from being "abstract", this year's Forum offers an invaluable opportunity to address the social implications of implementing green growth strategies.

This country note explains how Israel 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 wedge for the average single worker in Israel increased by 0.2 percentage points from 22.5 in 2018 to 22.7 in 2019. The OECD average tax wedge in 2019 was 36.0 (2018, 36.1). In 2019 Israel had the 32nd lowest tax wedge among the 36 OECD member countries, occupying the same position in 2018.

This country note explains how Ireland 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 wedge for the average single worker in Ireland increased by 0.3 percentage points from 32.9 in 2018 to 33.2 in 2019. The OECD average tax wedge in 2019 was 36.0 (2018, 36.1). In 2019 Ireland had the 24th lowest tax wedge among the 36 OECD member countries, compared with the 25th in 2018.