The 2013 update of the OECD's database on product market regulation: POLICY INSIGHTS FOR OECD AND NON-OECD COUNTRIES

This paper investigates patterns in product market regulation across 34 OECD and 21 non-OECD countries, using an updated and revised version of the OECD\u2019s indicators of product market regulation (PMR). The analysis shows that liberalisation of product markets has further slowed over the past five years. However, even though there was little progress on average in the OECD over this period, a number of OECD countries implemented sizable reforms, often in an attempt to boost economic growth in wake of the economic crisis. On average across the OECD, countries have made particular progress in abolishing price controls or improving their design, streamlining administrative procedures for start-ups, simplifying rules and procedures or improving access to information about regulations. Room for further improvements is the largest in the areas of public ownership and the governance of state-owned enterprises as well as with respect to barriers to competition in network and services sectors

The impact of socioeconomic position on stage at diagnosis and survival in colorectal cancer patients in Switzerland

Studies outside of Switzerland have reported socioeconomic inequalities in colorectal cancer (CRC) stage at diagnosis and survival. Aim : To investigate the impact of socioeconomic position (SEP) and further demographic characteristics on colorectal cancer (CRC) stage at diagnosis on CRC-specific survival ; To investigate whether potential survival inequalities can be explained by differences in stage at diagnosis and/or sociodemographic factors

Atrasentan and renal events in patients with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease (SONAR): a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial

Background: Short-term treatment for people with type 2 diabetes using a low dose of the selective endothelin A receptor antagonist atrasentan reduces albuminuria without causing significant sodium retention. We report the long-term effects of treatment with atrasentan on major renal outcomes. Methods: We did this double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial at 689 sites in 41 countries. We enrolled adults aged 18–85 years with type 2 diabetes, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR)25–75 mL/min per 1·73 m 2 of body surface area, and a urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR)of 300–5000 mg/g who had received maximum labelled or tolerated renin–angiotensin system inhibition for at least 4 weeks. Participants were given atrasentan 0·75 mg orally daily during an enrichment period before random group assignment. Those with a UACR decrease of at least 30% with no substantial fluid retention during the enrichment period (responders)were included in the double-blind treatment period. Responders were randomly assigned to receive either atrasentan 0·75 mg orally daily or placebo. All patients and investigators were masked to treatment assignment. The primary endpoint was a composite of doubling of serum creatinine (sustained for ≥30 days)or end-stage kidney disease (eGFR <15 mL/min per 1·73 m 2 sustained for ≥90 days, chronic dialysis for ≥90 days, kidney transplantation, or death from kidney failure)in the intention-to-treat population of all responders. Safety was assessed in all patients who received at least one dose of their assigned study treatment. The study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01858532. Findings: Between May 17, 2013, and July 13, 2017, 11 087 patients were screened; 5117 entered the enrichment period, and 4711 completed the enrichment period. Of these, 2648 patients were responders and were randomly assigned to the atrasentan group (n=1325)or placebo group (n=1323). Median follow-up was 2·2 years (IQR 1·4–2·9). 79 (6·0%)of 1325 patients in the atrasentan group and 105 (7·9%)of 1323 in the placebo group had a primary composite renal endpoint event (hazard ratio [HR]0·65 [95% CI 0·49–0·88]; p=0·0047). Fluid retention and anaemia adverse events, which have been previously attributed to endothelin receptor antagonists, were more frequent in the atrasentan group than in the placebo group. Hospital admission for heart failure occurred in 47 (3·5%)of 1325 patients in the atrasentan group and 34 (2·6%)of 1323 patients in the placebo group (HR 1·33 [95% CI 0·85–2·07]; p=0·208). 58 (4·4%)patients in the atrasentan group and 52 (3·9%)in the placebo group died (HR 1·09 [95% CI 0·75–1·59]; p=0·65). Interpretation: Atrasentan reduced the risk of renal events in patients with diabetes and chronic kidney disease who were selected to optimise efficacy and safety. These data support a potential role for selective endothelin receptor antagonists in protecting renal function in patients with type 2 diabetes at high risk of developing end-stage kidney disease. Funding: AbbVie

The Impact of Structural Policies on Trade-Related Adjustment and the Shift to Services

What policy reforms are most urgently needed to remove obstacles to output and employment growth in service sectors and to enhance economies’ ability to adjust to structural change as a result of changing trade patterns? This paper reviews the impact of the structural policy framework conditions on the development of the service sector and economies' adjustment capacities. The paper builds on and summarises a vast body of previous work and briefly reviews policy recommendations given to countries in various surveillance processes in the OECD. Les effets des politiques structurelles sur l'ajustement relatif aux échanges et au changement dans le secteur de services Quelles sont les réformes les plus urgentes pour remédier aux obstacles à la croissance de la production et de l’emploi dans les services et pour faire en sorte que les économies soient mieux à même de s’ajuster au changement structurel résultant de l’évolution des profils d’échanges? Ce document fait le point sur l'impact de la politique structurelle dans le développement du secteur des services et de la capacité d’ajustement des économies. Il s’appuie sur un grand nombre de travaux antérieurs dont il fait la synthèse et résume brièvement les recommandations formulées à l’intention des pays dans le cadre des divers mécanismes de surveillance à l'OCDE.international trade, labour mobility, service sector developments, regulation, structural policy, développement du secteur des services, réglementation, politique structurelle, mobilité du travail, commerce international

Current Account Imbalances: can Structural Reforms Help to Reduce Them?

This article explores the impact of structural policies on saving, investment, and current accounts in OECD and non-OECD economies. Since the current account effects of structural reforms are often complex and ambiguous from a theoretical perspective, new OECD empirical analysis is carried out. Reduced-form equations are estimated for a panel of 30 OECD countries as well as for a panel/cross-section of 117 OECD and non- OECD countries that relate saving, investment and current accounts to policy indicators and a set of macroeconomic control variables. This work suggests that structural reforms may influence saving, investment and current accounts through their impact on macroeconomic conditions such as productivity growth or public revenues and expenditures, but also more directly: i) higher social spending (in particular on health care) is found to lower the saving rate and thereby to weaken the current account, most likely reflecting lower precautionary saving; ii) product market liberalisation temporarily boosts investment and thus also weakens the current account; iii) financial market deregulation may lower the saving rate, though only in less developed countries; iv) stricter employment protection may be associated with lower saving rates if unemployment benefits are low, as well as with higher investment rates possibly due to greater substitution of capital for labour. A scenario analysis indicates that fiscal consolidation and structural reforms in the main world economies could significantly reduce current global imbalances, possibly by about one-third.Saving, investment, current account, social welfare system, labour market regulation, product market regulation, financial market regulation, taxation

The Impact of Structural Policies on Saving, Investment and Current Accounts

This paper explores the impact of structural policies on saving, investment, and current accounts in OECD and non-OECD economies. Since the current account effects of structural reforms are often complex and ambiguous from a theoretical perspective, new OECD empirical analysis is carried out. Reduced-form equations are estimated for a panel of 30 OECD countries as well as for a panel/cross-section of 117 OECD and non-OECD countries that relate saving, investment and current accounts to policy indicators and a set of macroeconomic control variables. This work suggests that structural reforms may influence saving, investment and current accounts through their impact on macroeconomic conditions such as productivity growth or public revenues and expenditures, but also more directly: i) higher social spending (in particular on health care) is found to lower the saving rate and thereby to weaken the current account, most likely reflecting lower precautionary saving; ii) product market liberalisation temporarily boosts investment and thus also weakens the current account; iii) financial market deregulation may lower the saving rate, though only in less developed countries; iv) stricter employment protection may be associated with lower saving rates if unemployment benefits are low, as well as with higher investment rates possibly due to greater substitution of capital for labour. A scenario analysis indicates that fiscal consolidation and structural reforms in the main world economies could significantly reduce current global imbalances, possibly by about a third. L'impact des politiques structurelles sur l'épargne, l'investissement, et la balance courante Cet article étudie l'impact des politiques structurelles sur l'épargne, l'investissement, et la balance courante de pays membres et non-membres de l'OCDE. Cette nouvelle étude de l'OCDE en présente une analyse empirique, l'impact des réformes structurelles sur la balance courante étant souvent complexe et ambigu d'un point de vue théorique. L'épargne, l'investissement et la balance courante sont reliés à un ensemble de variables de politiques structurelles par des équations de forme réduite, estimées en incluant des variables macroéconomiques de contr“le. Les régressions sont basées d'une part sur des données de 30 pays de l'OCDE disponibles sur une longue période, et d'autre part sur des séries plus courtes pour 117 pays membres et non-membres de l'OCDE. Cette étude suggère que les réformes structurelles peuvent influencer l'épargne, l'investissement et la balance courante via leur impact sur les conditions macroéconomiques telles que la croissance de la productivité, les recettes ou les dépenses publiques. Plus directement, elle indique également que : i) une augmentation des dépenses de protection sociale (en particulier des dépenses de santé) réduit le taux d'épargne, et donc affaiblit la balance courante, reflétant probablement une diminution de l'épargne de précaution ; ii) une libéralisation du marché des biens et services augmente temporairement l'investissement, ce qui affaiblit également la balance courante ; iii) une dérégulation des marchés financiers pourrait réduire le taux d'épargne dans les pays les moins développés ; iv) une protection plus stricte des emplois pourrait conduire à une réduction du taux d'épargne lorsque les allocations-ch“mage sont faibles, ainsi qu'à une élévation du taux d'investissement, peut-être due a une substitution de capital au travail. Les simulations indiquent qu'une consolidation budgetaire et des réformes structurelles dans les principales économies mondiales pourraient réduire significativement les déséquilibres macroéconomiques mondiaux actuels, peut-être d'environ un tiers.taxation, product market regulation, saving, social welfare system, current account, labour market regulation, financial market regulation, investment, balance courante, fiscalité, système de protection sociale, régulation du marché du travail, régulation du marché des biens et services, régulation des marchés financiers, épargne, investissement

Migration and labour market outcomes in OECD countries

Immigration pressures are increasing in most OECD countries. This article investigates the consequences of immigration for natives’ labour market outcomes, as well as issues linked to immigrants’ integration in the host country labour market. Changes in the share of immigrants in the labour force may have a distributive impact on natives’ wages, and a temporary impact on unemployment. However, labour market integration of immigrants (as well as integration of second-generation immigrants both in terms of educational attainments and of labour market outcomes) remains the main challenge facing host economies. In both cases, product and labour market policies have a significant role to play in easing the economy’s adjustment to immigration.

Less Income Inequality and More Growth – Are They Compatible? Part 2. The Distribution of Labour Income

This paper explores the role of macroeconomic factors and structural policies in shaping the distribution of labour income. Technological change and globalisation play at least some role in driving inequality patterns, but structural policy can also have an important influence on inequality outcomes, in particular through education and labour market policies. Drawing on empirical analysis of the links between structural policies and the distribution of labour income, the paper looks at potential policy trade-offs and complementarities with respect to the two policy objectives of lowering income inequality and raising economic growth. It concludes that many policies yield a double dividend in the sense that they contribute to achieving both goals simultaneously. This relates in particular to policies that facilitate the accumulation of human capital, that make educational achievement less dependent on personal and social circumstances, that reduce labour market dualism and that promote the labour market integration of immigrants and women. Moins d'inégalités de revenu et plus de croissance – Ces deux objectifs sont-ils compatibles? : Partie 2. La répartition des revenus du travail Ce papier explore le rôle des facteurs macroéconomiques et des politiques structurelles comme déterminants de la distribution des revenus du travail. Si les mutations technologiques et la mondialisation contribuent, à tout le moins, à la formation des inégalités, les politiques publiques, en particulier l’éducation et les politiques du marché du travail, peuvent aussi avoir une influence importante. À partir de l’analyse empirique des liens entre politiques publiques et répartition des revenus du travail, ce document examine les éventuels arbitrages et complémentarités entre les deux objectifs que sont la réduction des inégalités de revenu d’une part et le relèvement de la croissance économique d’autre part. Il conclut que nombre de politiques sont doublement payantes car elles contribuent à la réalisation simultanée de ces deux objectifs. Cela vaut en particulier pour les politiques favorisant l’accumulation de capital humain, rendant le potentiel d’éducation moins tributaire de la situation personnelle et sociale, réduisant le dualisme du marché du travail et promouvant l’intégration des immigrants et des femmes sur le marché du travail.globalisation, product market regulation, education, technological change, income inequality, labour income, labour market institutions, institutions du marché du travail, revenus du travail, réglementation du marché du travail, mutations technologiques, inégalité des revenus, mondialisation, éducation

Migration in OECD countries: Labour Market Impact and Integration Issues

immigration for natives' labour market outcomes, as well as issues linked to immigrants' integration in the host country labour market. Changes in the share of immigrants in the labour force may have a distributive impact on natives' wages, and a temporary impact on unemployment. However, labour market integration of immigrants (as well as integration of second-generation immigrants - both in terms of educational attainments and of labour market outcomes) remains the main challenge facing host economies. In both cases, product and labour market policies have a significant role to play in easing the economy's adjustment to immigration. Les migrations dans les pays de l'OCDE : Impact sur le marché du travail et intégration Les pays de l'OCDE connaissent une période de forte croissance des pressions migratoires. Cet article s'interroge sur les conséquences de ce phénomène d'une part sur le marché du travail domestique, d'autre part sur les trajectoires d'intégration propres aux immigrés dans les pays d'accueil. Des changements dans la proportion d'immigrés dans la force de travail peuvent avoir un impact distributif sur les salaires des natifs et un impact temporaire sur leur taux de chômage. Cependant, l'intégration des immigrés sur le marché du travail (de même que l'intégration des immigrés de seconde génération, aussi bien sur le plan de la réussite scolaire que sur celui de la performance sur le marché du travail) demeure l'enjeu principal auquel se doivent de faire face les économies d'accueil. Dans les deux cas, la régulation des marchés de produits et la politique du marché du travail ont un rôle important à jouer afin de favoriser les ajustements économiques associés à l'immigration.employment, unemployment, product market regulation, immigration, integration, labour market policies, wages, emploi, chômage, politique du marché du travail, intégration, salaires, immigration, régulation des marchés de produits