Publications

Tax Expenditures Country Report: Switzerland

and | 23 June 2026
Fiscal, Discussion Notes | Tags: GTED, GTETI, Switzerland, Tax Expenditures
Beyond transparency concerns, the absence of robust information undermines the evaluation of tax expenditure effectiveness. Switzerland lags significantly behind international standards in this area ... ... continue reading

Economic Policies for Affordable, Secure and Clean Energy: Synthesis Report

| 5 June 2026
Fiscal, Policy Briefs | Tags: Decarbonization, Energy, Industrial Policy, Policy Coherence, Tax Expenditures
Recent energy crises, surging electricity demand and accelerating climate change have pushed affordable, secure, and clean energy to the top of policy agendas worldwide. The challenge respects no borders,making cross-country perspectives timely. ... continue reading

Tax Expenditures Country Report: Zimbabwe

and | 20 May 2026
Fiscal, Discussion Notes | Tags: GTED, GTETI, Tax Expenditures, Zimbabwe
Tax expenditures (TEs) in Zimbabwe represent a significant portion of government spending, amounting to 2.8 percent of GDP, 24.7 percent of total revenue, and 21.2 percent of public spending in 2023. Companies benefitting from TEs enjoy tax savings that trigger a reduction in government revenue, ... continue reading

VAT and Social Equity: The Case of Period Products

| 18 May 2026
Fiscal, Blog | Tags: Gender, Inequality, Tax Expenditures, VAT
Value added tax (VAT) is one of the most important revenue sources for the 21st-century tax and welfare state. This holds true for OECD Member Countries as well as EU Member States, and more so for low-income countries. ... continue reading

ASEAN Central Banks Need New Tools for New Risks

and | 13 May 2026
Monetary, Op-Eds | Tags: ASEAN, Central Banks, Energy, Systemic Risks, Targeted Refinancing Lines
Southeast Asia faces a growing exposure to novel interacting risks that drive inflation and financial instability. Under the Philippines’ leadership as 2026 ASEAN chair, there is an opportunity to strengthen the region’s response to reduce exposure to and manage the risks through the ASEAN Finance ... continue reading

Japan Needs a New Framework for a Post-Deflation Economy

| 29 April 2026
Monetary, Blog | Tags: Central Banks, Economic Growth, Governing Finance, Japan
Japan’s policy-makers should reconsider whether the institutional framework governing relations between the government and the Bank of Japan still fits the country’s economic priorities. ... continue reading

Macroprudential Policy for a Low Carbon Economy: The Case of Cross-Border Funding in China

and | 24 April 2026
Monetary, Policy Briefs | Tags: China, Decarbonization, Macroprudential Policy
Understanding how macroprudential frameworks can be designed and adapted to support cross-border flows is therefore an increasingly pressing question for policymakers. This paper distills the lessons from China on how to do so. ... continue reading

Closing the Gap to Boost Asean Resilience Against Novel Risks

| 23 April 2026
Monetary, Op-Eds | Tags: ASEAN+3, Central Banks, Financial Supervision, Macroprudential Policy, Systemic Risks
The Philippines deserves genuine credit for its stewardship of this year’s Asean Finance Ministers’ and Central Bank Governors’ Meeting (AFMGM). Various novel risks and challenges have been discussed – from geoeconomic and geopolitical risks to cross border payments, financial resilience and climate risk management. ... continue reading

Why Tax Expenditure Reporting Is a Missing Link in Financing for Development

, , , , and | 21 April 2026
Fiscal, Blog | Tags: Domestic Revenue Mobilization, GTED, Tax Expenditures
With aid budgets shrinking and debt vulnerabilities mounting, the $4 trillion governments forgo annually through exemptions, credits, and preferential rates demands greater transparency and accountability. ... continue reading

Digital Trade in Africa: A Research Agenda

and | 20 April 2026
Trade, Books | Tags: Africa, Digital Economy, Digital Trade, Services Trade
Africa’s digital economy is poised for significant growth, driven by initiatives like the recently adopted Digital Trade Protocol under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which aims to reduce trade barriers and enhance regional integration. ... continue reading