This Selected Issues paper studies the inefficiencies related to the electricity sector and assesses the potential impact of the 2019 reform plan. Electricity shortages are the second constraint to competitiveness reported by businesses in Lebanon, based on the Enterprise Survey conducted by the...

This paper discusses two key issues of the Belgian economy: (1) making public expenditure more efficient and (2) addressing the Belgian labor market-segmentations and distortions. Belgium faces fiscal challenges that call for a substantial consolidation over the medium term. The sizable...

This paper discusses economic development and policies of Belgium. The new government has taken important steps to support job creation and address the cost of aging-notably through wage moderation, pension reform, and a tax shift. But growth prospects remain mediocre, public debt very high, and...