This paper provides an update on the significant regulatory and supervisory development in the Spanish insurance sector since 2006. The Spanish authorities have taken steps to address a number of shortcomings identified in the 2006 Financial Sector Assessment Program. Most notably, cooperation...

This paper strengthens the claim made by Vito Tanzi that when the effect of a high inflation on the tax system is taken into account, then the overall revenues from inflationary finance may well be negative. The paper analyzes some genuine and neat measures taken in Israel in an attempt to...

The Technical Assistance Report on the Philippines’ road map for a pro-growth and equitable tax system is examined. Tax revenue has declined over the last decade in the Philippines owing to generous and expanding tax incentives, tariff rate reduction, deteriorating tax compliance caused by...

This paper reviews recent experience of technical assistance on tax policy provided by the Fiscal Affairs Department to a selected but diversified group of countries that differ both in their geographical locations and in the nature of their economies. The review finds in the technical...

This report responds to the February 2016 request from the G20 for the IMF, OECD, United Nations and World Bank Group to: ' ... recommend mechanisms to help ensure effective implementation of technical assistance programs, and recommend how countries can contribute funding for tax projects and...

A very ambitious fiscal adjustment effort is under way. Fiscal institutional and sectoral reforms have been elaborated for a more durable adjustment. Greece’s determination toward a comprehensive modernization of the health sector, beginning with a far-reaching reform of state enterprises...

This report provides the details of the IMF's projections and estimates of Vietnam on the summary of the tax systems; gross domestic product by expenditure categories; sector and ownership at current prices; gross domestic product by sector at constant prices during 1996–2002; consumer price...

The staff report for the 2004 Article IV Consultation on the Kingdom of the Netherlands—Netherlands highlights the economic developments and policies. The economy is beginning to emerge from an extended downturn. Meanwhile, against a background of soft labor market conditions and economic...

It is shown that the inefficiencies created by the “soft” budget constraint, enjoyed by enterprises in Eastern Europe and elsewhere, will continue so long as governments are unable credibly to threaten not to bail out loss-makers. Commitment to a “hard” budget constraint can best be...

This paper considers the implications of the prospective aging of the U.S. population for the social security system and concludes that the large and growing cashflow surpluses of the social security trust funds should be saved to help insulate living stands against this change. A number of...