This Test Guideline describes an assay that assesses early life-stage effects and potential adverse consequences of putative endocrine disrupting chemicals (e.g. oestrogens, androgens and steroidogenesis inhibitors) on fish sexual development. In the test, fish are exposed, from newly fertilized...

This Test Guideline is designed to assess the toxicity of substances to freshwater aquatic plants of the genus Lemna (duckweed). Exponentially growing plant cultures of the genus Lemna (Lemna gibba and Lemna minor usually) are allowed to grow as monocultures in, at least, five concentrations of...

The launch of the euro reinforces the foundations for unprecedented economic integration encompassing 11 countries, 16 per cent of world GDP and 290 million people. For the first time, the OECD has studied the euro-area as a fully-fledged economic entity and has analysed the intensive...

Major budgeting reforms have been initiated in a number of OECD countries in recent years. These reforms focus on giving spending agencies greater flexibility in using resources, in exchange for holding them responsible for achieving results. This publication examines how five Member countries...

Compliance with the European Union’s budgetary, financial control and audit requirements is one of the basic obligations of EU membership. SIGMA examines this in two publications that chronicle the experiences of seven EU Member States, including its three newest adherents, in integrating EU...

Public expenditure control has become a central element of economic policy in many countries. This report analyses budget practices and some recent innovations from the point of view of senior public servants in the central budget offices of nineteen OECD Member countries. It also summarises the...

Many countries will likely face the need to increase tax revenues, as part of fiscal consolidation, during the next few years. But how is this best done? And what are the considerations when choosing between raising tax rates and broadening the tax base by scaling back or abolishing targeted tax...

The purpose of this volume is to provide a reference book and a training manual for public administrators in the transitional economies, and in particular for officials with budgeting and policy-making responsibilities. The book is a follow-up to the Multicountry Seminar in Ljubljana (1-2 April...

This publication is the product of a multi-country seminar on budgeting and controlling personnel costs which SIGMA organised in March 1996 in Paris. The seminar’s purpose was to provide an opportunity for senior practitioners from central and eastern European countries to examine different...