The purpose of this policy note is to present reform options on cabotage liberalization. The goal of cabotage liberalization is to help i) foster more competition in the domestic shipping industry, ii) reduce shipping cost, and iii) improve efficiency, maritime services, and safety standards....

This Policy Note focuses on distribution channels, the role they play in product diversification and costs, and how regulation can promote competition in mutual funds (MFs) distribution. In many emerging market economics (EMEs) where both the capital markets and the MFs have reached certain...

This note outlines barriers to competition in product markets based primarily on the screening of Serbian regulations using the OECD Product Market Regulation methodology and comparison to regulations in the OECD. The note focuses on topics covered by the 2018 OECD-WBG product market regulation...

Air transport plays an important role in fostering development, particularly in facilitating economic integration, generating trade, promoting tourism, and creating employment opportunities. It facilitates integration into the global economy and provides vital connectivity on a national,...

This policy paper explores airline restructuring and regulatory reform challenges and opportunities in the Southern African region with particular focus on Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia and South Africa. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, the air transport sector in the region faced...

Energy demand in Arab countries continues to grow at a higher rate than economic growth. Meeting national electricity demand and exploiting their significant renewable energy resources (particularly, solar and wind) in a sustainable manner is a common challenge across all Arab countries. A...

This note is intended to support ongoing efforts to promote Pan-Arab energy trade by highlighting the role and benefits of intra-regional electricity and gas exchange, with a view to improving energy security in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. After some background, this note...

Governments, automotive manufacturers, energy companies, charging infrastructure operators, mobility service providers, technology providers and aggregators across the globe are preparing themselves for a rapid transition from conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles to electric...

This paper is a collaboration between the World Bank's Transport Global Practice, the World Bank's Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP) and the International Association of Public Transport (UITP) to assemble evidence, viewpoints, and analysis on eMobility programs. The objective...

This report explores options to scale up and accelerate the energy transition to cleaner electricity and district heating generation mixes and reconcile the government's concerns over the serious local air pollution and commitments to combat climate change. The report draws three main...