Policy Briefs and Testimonies

Disparate Racial Impact: Tax Expenditure Reform Needed

| 23 March 2021
Fiscal, Policy Briefs | Tags: Income Inequality, Tax Expenditures
This policy brief discusses the issues of potential disparate racial impacts of U.S. tax laws regarding government subsidy and incentive programs run through the tax system: tax expenditures. It analyzes the available data, provides normative insights, and describes eight steps to address disparate racial impacts ... continue reading

Tackling Inequality Through Tax Expenditure Reform

and | 24 September 2020
Fiscal, Policy Briefs | Tags: G20, Inequality, Tax Expenditures, VAT
Inequality endangers social cohesion and hampers economic growth, and as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, inequality is set to increase. Hence, the commitment of the Group of Twenty (G20) to address inequality in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is arguably more ... continue reading

Trade Implications of Tax Expenditures

, , , , and | 15 September 2020
Fiscal, Trade, Policy Briefs | Tags: Carbon Tax, Digitalization, Tax Competition, Tax Expenditures
International trade and taxation are inextricably linked and have been high-priority issues within the Group of Twenty (G20) agenda. However, the interconnections between international trade and tax expenditures—that is, benefits granted through preferential tax treatment—have been overlooked. This brief calls for a better design of ... continue reading

Shifting Gears: Integrating Climate Risks in Monetary Policy Operations

| 20 January 2020
Monetary, Policy Briefs | Tags: Asset Purchases, Central Banks, Climate Risk, Collateral Framework, Credit Risk
The assets central banks purchase and accept as collateral are at the core of monetary policy implementation. Risk considerations play a crucial role in the selection of these assets: central banks seek to limit their holdings and eligible collateral to assets that minimize their risk ... continue reading

The Digital Economy for Economic Development: Free Flow of Data and Supporting Policies

, , , , , , and | 27 April 2019
Trade, Policy Briefs | Tags: Digitalization, Inclusiveness
The digital economy provides ample opportunities for G20 economies to accelerate inclusive economic growth. To take advantage of digital technology, free flow of data backed up by a series of policies to address other public policy objectives must be promoted. However, policies for the flow ... continue reading

Services Trade for Sustainable, Balanced, and Inclusive Growth

, , , , , , , and | 3 April 2019
Trade, Policy Briefs | Tags: Digitalization, Economic Growth, Services Trade
Structural changes in the world economy have altered the way we think about the nexus between trade and growth. In particular, the rise of the services economy and the digital revolution have rocked the world of trade policy-making in ways that are not nearly sufficiently ... continue reading

Taxation in Aging Societies – Increasing the Effectiveness and Fairness of Pension Systems

, , , and | 27 March 2019
Fiscal, Policy Briefs | Tags: Inequality, Pensions, Tax Expenditures
Population aging is accelerating worldwide and has significant socio-economic implications, including a decline in the size of the labour force, an increase in the age-dependency ratio and a redistribution of income and wealth. Hence, the redesign of pension systems has become a priority. Taxation is ... continue reading

Central Banks and the G20 Agenda: Ensuring Policy Coherence

and | 14 March 2019
Monetary, Policy Briefs | Tags: Central Banks, Inclusiveness, Sustainable Development
The G20 has come a long way in pulling economies back from the brink. Yet, a lot remains to be done in its pursuit of inclusive and sustainable growth. Its leaders have continuously highlighted the urgent need to use all policy levers in targeting its ... continue reading

Investor-State Dispute Settlement: An Anachronism Whose Time Has Gone

| 24 September 2018
Trade, Policy Briefs | Tags: Investment, ISDS, Services Trade
Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) – a mechanism that allows foreign investors to bring claims against host governments to an international arbitral tribunal – is a postcolonial relic that should be abolished. ... continue reading

Central Banks Should Reflect Climate Risks in Monetary Policy Operations

| 10 September 2018
Monetary, Policy Briefs | Tags: Asset Purchases, Central Banks, Climate Risk, Collateral Framework
The transition to a low-carbon economy requires a shift in capital allocation from incumbent carbon-intensive technologies to new low-carbon technologies. Financial markets play a key role in this process: they influence firms’ investment costs and serve as reference point in investors’ decisions. Currently, there ... continue reading