The exit of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Brexit) may have a negative impact on trade and investment flows not just for the UK, but also for the countries with the largest exposure to the UK. The indirect impact of a Brexit-induced recession in the UK -may also be felt in the EU...

This report reflects significant changes in European Union (EU) corporate financial reporting since 2011. In June 2013, a new accounting directive was adopted, replacing the fourth and seventh directives on company law. A directive amending the 2006 audit directive and a new audit regulation...

New sources of data, as well as new ways of processing such data, have contributed to an ongoing expansion in the availability of digital financial services (DFS) to served, underserved, and unserved consumers. Such data is being used to design and market customer-centric digital financial...

China considers innovation be one of the key drivers of its future growth and convergence with more developed countries. It spends more than 2.2 percent of GDP on RandD, above the average for the European Union, is a global leader in domestic patents, and has developed groundbreaking advances in...

This paper provides an overview of different regulatory approaches to Fintech and provides guidance for policymakers to understand the benefits and limitations of each. While some Fintech activities can often be covered within existing regulatory frameworks, the majority of jurisdictions are...

The 2007 financial crisis has exposed major weaknesses in global financial systems, including the threat to financial stability posed by banks that were too big, interconnected and complex to be closed or go bankrupt. As a result, many banks have been rescued using public support, allowing for...

The COVID-19 pandemic created unprecedented circumstances and challenges in many dimensions, without clear ex ante directions and guidance on the best strategies for coping with the emergency, including in public procurement. As a result, especially in the first months of the pandemic,...

This handbook has been developed to provide instruction on the design and implementation of incentives for resource-efficiency purposes. The target audience is World Bank staff and stakeholders who are supporting the implementation of a resource-efficiency program in a country on behalf of the...