IMF, (2013), “Italy: Detailed Assessment of Observance of Basel Core Principles for Effective Banking Supervision”, International Monetary Fund, Country Report No. 13/354, December. SUMMARY, KEY FINDINGS, AND RECOMENDATIONS 1. The core supervisory process at the Banca d’Italia (BI) is strong, and it has a well-defined and integrated supervisory approach. BI is well regarded both in terms of independence, professional qualification and integrity. The various components of its supervision are integrated …Read More
Corruption Perceptions Index 2013
Transparency International, (2013), “Corruption Perceptions Index 2013”, Transparency International, December. The Corruption Perceptions Index 2013 serves as a reminder that the abuse of power, secret dealings and bribery continue to ravage societies around the world. The Index scores 177 countries and territories on a scale from 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean). No country has a perfect score, and two-thirds of countries score below 50. This indicates a serious, …Read More
The 2013 Euro Plus Monitor: From Pain to Gain
Schmieding, H. and Schulz, C., (2013), “The 2013 Euro Plus Monitor: From Pain to Gain”, The Lisbon Council, Policy Brief, Volume III, No.1, December. If the eurozone and its 17 members stay the course, the systemic crisis that has rocked Europe since 2010 could be largely over by mid-2014. That is the principal conclusion of The 2013 Euro Plus Monitor: From Pain to Gain, the premiere competitiveness ranking published each …Read More
Financial Stability Review – November 2013
ECB, (2013), Financial Stability Review – November 2013, Frankfurt: ECB. Stress indicators and euro area fundamentals suggest alleviation of financial market tensions, especially on the banks’ funding side. However, financial stability conditions remain fragile and euro area adjustment process is incomplete. Euro area financial stress has remained moderate over the last half year despite bouts of considerable global financial market turbulence, according to the new Financial Stability Review of the …Read More
The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report 2013
WEF, (2013), The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report 2013: Reducing Barriers to Economic Growth and Job Creation, Geneva: World Economic Forum. Under the theme “Reducing Barriers to Economic Growth and Job Creation”, The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report 2013 assesses 140 economies worldwide based on the extent to which they are putting in place the factors and policies to make it attractive to develop the travel and tourism sector. Read …Read More
Spain: Financial Sector Reform
IMF, (2013), “Spain: Financial Sector Reform—Fourth Progress Report”, International Monetary Fund, Country Report No. 13/331, 22 November. Implementation of Spain’s financial sector program remains on track. Essentially all measures specified in the program have now been implemented, as envisaged under its front-loaded timetable. Of note, capital-augmentation measures arising from last year’s stress test are now complete, SAREB has almost concluded its organizational development and is now accelerating the liquidation of …Read More
Health at a Glance 2013
OECD, (2013), Health at a Glance 2013: OECD Indicators, Paris: OECD. This seventh edition of Health at a Glance provides the latest comparable data on different aspects of the performance of health systems in OECD countries. It provides striking evidence of large variations across countries in the costs, activities and results of health systems. Key indicators provide information on health status, the determinants of health, health care activities and health …Read More
Deepening the EMU: How to maintain and develop the European social model?
Fernandes, S. and Maslauskaite, K., (2013), Deepening the EMU: How to maintain and develop the European social model?”, Notre Europe – Jacques Delors Institute, Studies and Reports 101, November. Notre Europe – Jacques Delors Institute publishes a study commissioned by the Federal Chancellery of Austria on the impact of the reforms currently implemented or mooted on national welfare states in the EMU. As Jacques Delors underlines in the foreword of …Read More
OECD Economic Outlook 2013
OECD, (2013), OECD Economic Outlook, Vol. 2013/2, OECD Publishing. Τhe global economy is expected to continue expanding at a moderate pace over the coming two years, but policymakers must ensure that instability in financial markets and underlying fragility in some major economies are not allowed to derail growth, according to the OECD’s latest Economic Outlook. “The recovery is real, but at a slow speed, and there may be turbulence on …Read More
QE and ultra-low interest rates: Distributional effects and risks
Dobbs, R., Lund, S., Koller, T. and Shwayder, A., (2013), “QE and ultra-low interest rates: Distributional effects and risks”, McKinsey Global Institute, Discussion Paper, November. There is widespread consensus that the conventional and unconventional monetary policies that world’s major central banks implemented in response to the global financial crisis prevented a deeper recession and higher unemployment than there otherwise would have been. These measures, along with a lack of demand …Read More