OECD Council Research Articles

A decade and a half of OECD action on data governance policy-making

The OECD has long recognized the need to better understand how to reconcile the risks and benefits of data access and sharing to help governments reap the benefits of data-driven innovation. To guide policy-making, the OECD has produced over the last decade and a half a significant body of analytical work and legal instruments setting out principles and best practices to address sector-or domain-specific challenges in the governance of data. These Recommendations include: the Recommendation concerning Access to Research Data from Public Funding2; the Recommendation for Enhanced Access and More Effective Use of Public Sector Information3; and the Recommendation on Health Data Governance4. In what appears to be the latest strong demonstration of its commitment to the issue, the OECD Council adopted in 2021, the Recommendation on Enhancing Access to and Sharing of Data (EASD Recommendation)5. Differently from the preceding ones, the EASD Recommendation provides an overarching set of principles and policy guidance to help governments reconcile potential risks and benefits and unlock the re-use of all types of data across and within sectors, jurisdictions, organisations, and communities. The aim of this paper is to put in context this significant body of work and set out the main policy issues addressed by these OECD Recommendations.

Artificial Intelligence and Corporate Social Responsibility: Employees’ Key Role in Driving Responsible Artificial Intelligence at Big Tech

Artificial Intelligence and Corporate Social Responsibility: Employees’ Key Role in Driving Responsible Artificial Intelligence at Big Tech

Biotechnology and Biosafety Policy at OECD: Future Trends

The OECD Council Recommendation on Recombinant DNA Safety Considerations is a legal instrument which has been in force since 1986. It outlines the safety assessment practices that countries should have in place for agricultural and environmental biotechnology. This article suggests possible updates to make it suitable for the modern era.

The economic and social drivers of renewable energy development in OECD countries

There are continuous research and practical interest to combine different renewable sources within one Smart Grid network. The paper aims to estimate the influence of key economic and social drivers of renewable energy and Smart Grid promotion in OECD member countries. The random effect of the generalized least squares method was used to estimate the empirical model based on the World Bank, OECD, Heritage Foundation, and World Energy Council datasets for a panel of 36 OECD counties. For the empirical estimation, the dependent variables considered are energy renewable electricity output and energy trilemma index, taken as two proxies for Smart Grid development. The results suggest that an increase in GDP p. c. in national economies by 10,000 USD leads on average to a 3.9% decrease in renewable electricity output during 2001–2015. The richer the society, the less renewable energy sources were used for power generation in a group of OECD countries. The last is also supported by the fact that gross fixed capital formation treated as a percentage value of GDP is negatively correlated with structural changes in renewable energy output. The empirical conclusion is that during the study period, OECD countries were mainly oriented to economic growth, which was achieved by consuming non-renewable energy resources, and limited attention was paid to sustainability and Millennium Development Goals. The paper provides policy recommendations for Smart Grid development and points in the future research within OECD countries. AcknowledgmentsComments from the Editor and anonymous referees have been gratefully acknowledged. Leonid Melnyk gratefully acknowledges financial support from the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine (0118U003578). Oleksandra Kubatko gratefully acknowledges financial support from the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine (0119U100766) and National Research Foundation of Ukraine (2020.01/0135).

동북아 국가의 물-에너지-식량 넥서스 거버넌스에 대한 연구

This paper analyses current situation of Water-Energy-Food(WEF) nexus in northeast asian countries(China, Japan, Korea) and proposes the policy of improvement of the Water-Energy-Food governance. As the climate change threatens security of Water-Energy-Food and increases future uncertainty and risk, WEF nexus is one of the important issues. As the United Nations University (UNU) initiated the first nexus programme, the Bonn 2011 Nexus Conference contributed to better understanding of the WEF nexus concept and the Dresden conference gave explicit attention to the Water-Energy-Food nexus. The establishment of optimal policies for Water-Energy-Food can be characterized in three stages. The first stage is integrated management of three sectors(water, energy, food). The second is characterized as security including that of the nations, human health, livelihood and ecosystem services. The third stage will be the nexus of the Water-Energy-Food systems. The nexus framework considers the interconnected nature of the water, energy and food,which include the synergies and tradeoffs. Even thought OECD Council recommended that Adherents enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of water governance, Integrated Water Resources Management(IWRM) has several problems which consist of no agreement of integrated issues, lack of local situations, lack of administrative capacity, conflict of interests and views, finally coordinative mechanism. Whereas IWRM tries to engage all sectors from a water management perspective, the nexus approach treats different sectors(water, energy, food) as equally important. Elements of governance of WEF nexus involve public agencies and non-state actors exercising authority in the pursuit of desirable goals. Achieving these goals involves strengthening institutions and processes that support horizontal coordination, vertical coordination, stakeholder engagement. Horizontal coordination involves collaboration between different government ministries or departments working in the public sector. Vertical coordination involves interaction between different administrative decision-making levels. A third dimension is the interface or engagement between government and non-state actors(civil society, business, researchers etc.). Comparing IWRM and nexus, the nexus includes broader norms for integrating policy sectors. According to six different categories of Worldwide Governance Indicators for Northeast Asian countries, japanese governance level is highest and China is lowest country. As China and Japan’s relative weakest criterion is the ‘voice and accountability’, Korean governance is the lowest level of ‘political stability & absence of violence/terrorism’ relatively. Among Northeast asian countries, Japan is more advanced the application and implementation of WEF nexus approaches. The Ministry of Water Resources and Ministry of Environmental Protection in China are not only national environmental authorities but also primarily responsible for the environmental governance. Basin commissions serve as designated agencies of Ministry of Water Resources. Local government are authorized by the central government to manage the water resources that flow through their jurisdictions. As China’s Water-Energy-Food nexus raises a number of issues. chinese government would like to solve these issues with neighbouring countries. Because Korea is the lowest level in the water stress among three countries, the OECD is committed to supporting Korean government to reform policies that influence the availability, use and management of Water-Energy-Food. The Korean local governments consider appling the Japanese approach for harmonize three sectors(WEF) together.

ІНКЛЮЗИВНИЙ РОЗВИТОК ЯК ОСНОВА ПРОТИДІЇ ГЛОБАЛЬНИМ ВИКЛИКАМ СЬОГОДЕННЯ

Певною мірою узагальнено авторські розробки з оцінювання стану та динаміки економічного розвитку України. У результаті цих багаторічних досліджень сформульовано концептуальне визначення інклюзивного розвитку у форматі його трактування впливовими міжнародними організаціями, оцінювання відповідності стану економіки України стандартам інклюзивного розвитку та розроблення заходів державної політики, реалізація яких сприятиме подоланню кризових явищ в економіці країни та протидії глобальним викликам сьогодення. Проаналізовано нові підходи до протидії цим викликам, розроблені міжнародним співтовариством у форматі реалізації концепції інклюзивного розвитку.Найбільш концентровано ці підходи викладено у програмному документі Ради ОЕСР «Нові підходи до протидії економічним викликам», який формує важливий системний процес, спрямований на розроблення і послідовне поліпшення аналітичної діяльності та інструментарію, які повинні використовуватися міжнародними організаціями та урядами окремих країн з метою вирішення вже окреслених питань.На основі використання методу головних компонент удосконалено методологію оцінювання стану економіки України та здійснено аналіз його відповідності міжнародним стандартам інклюзивного розвитку. За результатами аналізу зроблено важливий концептуальний висновок відносно невідповідності чинної моделі економічної поведінки України викликам сьогодення, що, у свою чергу, призводить до такого стану економіки України, якому притаманні ознаки патологічності та токсичності. Наведено теоретичне визначення цих економічних понять.За результатами багатовимірного оцінювання стану економіки України розроблено практичні рекомендації щодо вдосконалення державної економічної політики, реалізація якої сприятиме досягненню стандартів сталого інклюзивного розвитку.

INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS OF INCLUSIVE GROWTH AS A BASIS FOR SHAPING AN EFFICIENT ECONOMIC POLICY OF THE STATE

In some ways, the article summarizes the author’s work in the field of integrated assessment of the state and dynamics of Ukraine’s economic development. Summarizing the longitudinal research, the authors present the goal of the article as a conceptual definition of inclusive growth in the format of its interpretation by influential international organizations, assessing the conformity of the state of the economy and social sphere of Ukraine to the standards of inclusive growth, and determining on this basis public policy measures, the implementation of which will help overcome crises in the country’s economy and counteracting the main global challenges of modern civilization. The most significant interest is the analysis of new approaches to counteracting these challenges, developed by the international community in the format of implementing the concept of inclusive growth. These approaches are most concentrated in the program document of the OECD Council, which was named New Approaches to Economic Challenges, – NAEC. This document forms an important system process aimed at the development and consistent improvement of tools and analytical work that should be used by international organizations and governments of certain countries to resolve the issues identified above. In the article by using the component principal analysis, the methodology of assessing the state of the economy and social sphere of Ukraine was improved, and an analysis was made of the compliance of this state with international standards of inclusive growth. The result of the analysis is an important conceptual conclusion about the discrepancy of the current model of Ukraine’s economic development with the challenges of our time, which in turn leads to a state of the Ukrainian economy and social sphere that are characterized by pathological and toxic features. The result of the multi-vector assessment of the state of the Ukrainian economy is practical guidance on the improvement of state economic policy, the implementation of which, in the authors’ opinion, will contribute to the achievement of standards of permanent inclusive growth.

Abstracts from the In Vitro Toxicology Society Annual Meeting Radisson Blu Hotel Glasgow, United Kingdom November 14–15, 2016

Abstracts from the In Vitro Toxicology Society Annual Meeting Radisson Blu Hotel Glasgow, United Kingdom November 14–15, 2016

Sharpening Regulation in the Australian Superannuation Industry to Ensure Compatibility of Public and Private Objectives

Three decades of bipartisan reforms have taken place in the Australian superannuation industry ostensibly in the public interest. The regulatory reforms have created a paradox: ongoing reforms but flawed fund member outcomes. For example, the superannuation system is not delivering lifetime retirement incomes but high levels of administrative and investment fees are currently costing fund members more than $21 billion each year. Systematic problems remain with conflicted investment advice, and periodic large-scale, financial collapses have resulted in further losses to members. In seeking to elaborate and resolve this paradox, the research project outlined in this paper provides a voice to Australia’s superannuation trustees through the mechanism of three surveys across a thirteen-year period. The surveys confirm that dissatisfaction with regulatory reform is widely shared amongst stakeholders most involved with reform implementation. While all regulation is ostensibly in the public interest, regulators can be thwarted by the lobbying of vested interests and be subject to subtler forms of regulatory capture. One form particularly identified in the Australian context is regulatory complexity, which acts to protect incumbents through barriers to entry, and benefits the professional consultants that provide most input into the regulatory process. More needs to be done to blunt the force of private interest rent seeking. We believe that one solution lies in the proper integration and implementation of the Regulatory Impact Analysis (RIA) framework as recommended by the OECD Council on Regulatory Policy and Governance. RIA has the capacity to minimise rent seeking by fostering transparency and engagement and reinforcing the system of checks and balances to ensure that policies and regulations serve the public interest.

The Changes Introduced by the 2014 Update to the OECD Model Tax Convention

The OECD Council approved the contents of the 2014 Update to the OECD Model Tax Convention on 15 July 2014. This article provides an overview of the changes introduced by the 2014 Update and the guidance they provide.

Arbitration under the OECD Model Convention: Follow-up under Double Tax Conventions: An Evaluation

On 18 July 2008, the OECD Council adopted amendments to the OECD Model Convention, by which inter alia the mutual agreement procedure of Article 25 was supplemented with an arbitration clause. This clause provides for a mandatory arbitration procedure if contracting states fail to reach a mutual agreement within a two-year period if the taxpayer request so. Subsequent to this arbitration clause, the OECD also developed procedural rules that states can use during the arbitration procedure. This article evaluates whether, almost six years after its adoption, the OECD arbitration clause has been included in double tax conventions concerning the prevention of double taxation. This article also evaluates to what extent the procedural rules provided for by the OECD are adopted.

Evaluation of the International Investment Laws in U.S.A and the Impact

This paper evaluates the international investment law in USA and the impact in international trade and international policies which developed after World War II. This paper discuss the OECD convention which led to the project in OECD council on the protection of foreign ownership. The main purpose of this paper is to analyze bilateral treaties in Central American Free Trade Agreement(CAFTA), its impact on investment on United States.

International Obligations, State Responsibility and Judicial Review Under the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises Regime

The OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises were viewed at their genesis as political commitments not legally binding on states and only voluntary for corporations. Due to the OECD Council Decision on the Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises in 2000/2011, however, OECD Member States are compelled to implement this regime by the establishment and operation of a National Contact Point (NCP) as a state-based, non-judicial, dispute resolution mechanism to handle complaints concerning corporations operating from or within their respective jurisdictions. This paper does not analyse weaknesses in the often-troubled NCP system nor does it propose reforms. Rather, it examines the current system from the legal perspective of OECD Member States and explores the relatively ignored extent of their obligations under it. This paper posits that on account of the Council Decision, treaty-derived, international obligations are in fact imposed on OECD Member States under the NCP system and that NCP maladministration can lead to state responsibility at international law. In any event, however, it seems clear that there does not exist any review mechanism—domestically or internationally—capable of attributing internationally wrongful conduct to an OECD Member State on account of its NCP.

Transfer pricing and safe harbours

Transfer prices are significant for both taxpayers and tax administrations because they determine in large part taxable profits of associated enterprises in different tax jurisdictions. Moreover, in the context of taxation, transfer prices must be complied with the arm’s length principle. However, Multinational Enterprises have been faced daily by conflicting rules and approaches to applying the arm’s length principle, burdensome documentation requirements, inconsistent audit standards and unpredictable competent authority outcomes. Therefore, the Committee on Fiscal Affairs launched another project on the administrative aspects of transfer pricing in 2010. On 16 May 2013 as a partial solution of this project was approved by the OECD Council the Revised Section E on Safe Harbours in Chapter IV of the Transfer Pricing Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises and Tax Authorities. The paper is focused on significant changes of newly approved chapter IV of the Transfer Pricing Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises and Tax Authorities, further on analysis of practice in this area, on advantages and disadvantages of safe harbours for taxpayers and competent authorities with aim to suggest recommendations on use of safe harbours in the Czech Republic.

The OECD Council Recommendation on Assessing the Sustainability of BioBased Products

Industrial BiotechnologyVol. 9, No. 5 Industry ReportsThe OECD Council Recommendation on Assessing the Sustainability of BioBased ProductsJames C. PhilpJames C. PhilpSearch for more papers by this authorPublished Online:16 Oct 2013https://doi.org/10.1089/ind.2013.1601AboutSectionsView articleView Full TextPDF/EPUB Permissions & CitationsPermissionsDownload CitationsTrack CitationsAdd to favorites Back To Publication ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmail View article"The OECD Council Recommendation on Assessing the Sustainability of BioBased Products." , 9(5), pp. 269–270FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 9Issue 5Oct 2013 InformationCopyright 2013, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.To cite this article:James C. Philp.The OECD Council Recommendation on Assessing the Sustainability of BioBased Products.Industrial Biotechnology.Oct 2013.269-270.http://doi.org/10.1089/ind.2013.1601Published in Volume: 9 Issue 5: October 16, 2013PDF download

Report on Structural Separation

The Structural Separation Report was prepared by the OECD Competition Committee to review the implementation of the 2001 OECD Council Recommendation concerning structural separation in regulated industries. The report shows that many countries have implemented legislation that seeks to promote non-discriminatory access to noncompetitive infrastructure. In a number of jurisdictions, there is dissatisfaction with the access provided by integrated companies to their non competitive infrastructure, leading a number of jurisdictions to strengthen the barriers that separate noncompetitive and competitive parts of a company. One new approach seeks to create managerial incentives that are equivalent to those that would be faced by managers in fully structurally separated companies while maintaining unified ownership of noncompetitive and competitive lines of business. This approach can be termed functional separation and has recently been pursued in the telecommunications sector in at least two jurisdictions. The results of implementing functional separation will be of considerable importance for future policy decisions related to structural separation. The OECD Council endorsed the report’s conclusion relating to maintaining the Recommendation in its current form and invited the Competition Committee to report back in three years’ time on the implementation of the Recommendation.

Opinion of the Scientific Panel on genetically modified organisms [GMO] and the opinion of the Scientific Panel on additives and products or substances used in animal feed [FEEDAP] on the safety and efficacy of the enzymatic preparation Phyzyme XP (6‐ Phytase) for use as feed additive for chickens for fattening

EFSA JournalVolume 4, Issue 5 350 OpinionOpen Access Opinion of the Scientific Panel on genetically modified organisms [GMO] and the opinion of the Scientific Panel on additives and products or substances used in animal feed [FEEDAP] on the safety and efficacy of the enzymatic preparation Phyzyme XP (6- Phytase) for use as feed additive for chickens for fattening European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)Search for more papers by this author European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)Search for more papers by this author First published: 02 May 2006 https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2006.350 Panel members: Hans Christer Andersson, Detlef Bartsch, Hans-Joerg Buhk, Howard Davies, Marc De Loose, Michael Gasson, Niels Hendriksen, John Heritage, Sirpa Kärenlampi, Ilona Kryspin-Sørensen, Harry Kuiper, Marco Nuti, Fergal O'Gara, Pere Puigdomenech, George Sakellaris, Joachim Schiemann, Willem Seinen, Angela Sessitsch, Jeremy Sweet, Jan Dirk van Elsas and Jean-Michel Wal Acknowledgement: The GMO Panel wishes to thank Lieve Herman, Bevan Moseley and Ingolf Nes for their contributions to this opinion. Adoption date: 20 April 2006 Published date: 2 May 2006 Question number: EFSA-Q-2005-063 AboutPDF ToolsExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat References IFBC, International Food Biotechnology Council. 1990. Biotechnologies and Food: Assuring the Safety of Foods produced by Genetic Modification. National Academic Press, Washington DC. pp. S114– S128. OECD. 1992. Safety Consideration for Biotechnology. Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. OECD Council. Volume4, Issue5May 2006350 ReferencesRelatedInformation

Guidelines for Insurers' Governance

On 28 April 2005, the OECD Council approved the Recommendation on Guidelines for Insurers’ Governance. Guidelines were first endorsed by the OECD Insurance and Private Pensions Committee in collaboration and wide consultation with the 30 member countries’ governmental experts in the insurance sector as well as the insurance and reinsurance industry. These guidelines were also deemed fully compatible and consistent with the OECD Revised Principles on Corporate Governance by its Steering Group in October 2004.

Divoy v. Secretary-General

37International organizations — Staff — Administrative tribunal — OECD Council decisions postponing salary and pension adjustments — OECD official lodging administrative appeal — Scope of dispute — Admissibility of application — Whether Council decisions in breach of Article 8.1 of Annexe I to Staff Regulations — Application of Article 8.3.2 of Annexe I — Whether Council decisions amounting to misuse of powers — Whether Council obliged to give reasons — Whether breach of obligation to inform staff

The organisation for economic cooperation and development

The organisation for economic cooperation and development