This book focuses on experiences with and lessons learned from the sweeping reforms to the pension systems of Latin America and the Caribbean during the 1990s and early 2000s, which shifted the burden of old-age security from the public to the private sector. The book's main objective is to...

This paper analyzes the aggregate effects of a revenue neutral fiscal-cum-social policy reform in a typical developing country that consists of two main changes: (1) the implementation of universal social insurance to replace the current dual social protection system (i.e., a reconfiguration of...

This paper analyzes whether Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) signed between the United States and Latin American countries during the last decade produced higher enforcement of labor regulations. The paper computes before-after estimates of the effect of FTAs on labor inspections and exploits...

Neste continente, os efeitos negativos das reformas liberais afetaram substancialmente o precário equilíbrio de boa parte das economias nacionais e do tecido social. A necessidade de construção de um novo equilíbrio social, que faça avançar o desenvolvimento dos países, está claramente...

This paper discusses infrastructure investment and the need for private financing, in turn with the trend of pension fund reform. This paper outlines the conditions under which sources and uses of long-term resources can meet and focusing the attention of both parties to the benefits of a...

In 1995, the government of Uruguay undertook a first pillar-based reform of the pension system, as opposed to the second pillar-based Chilean-style reform. The paper's first section describes Uruguay's pension system prior to reform. It demonstrates quite clearly that the crisis faced by that...

This technical note discusses the civil servant pension system in Brazil over the past two decades. Since 1998 the Brazilian government has been implementing reforms to increase the financial sustainability of its pension schemes - seeking to contain pension deficits without hurting acquired...

While intensive research work has been directed at the reform issues for emerging economies, significantly less attention has been paid to the specific situation of small emerging economies. In this paper the authors examine the crucial issues that shape the types of pension fund reform and the...

Seguro Popular (SP) is a social program introduced by the Mexican government in 2002 to provide health insurance to the 50 million Mexicans without coverage. The program has raised a debate on whether the program has had unintended consequences and distorted incentives facing workers,...

This study performs an up-to-date diagnostic of the Brazilian tax system in order to provide a basis for reform discussions among technical analysts, authorities and congressmen. It is based on the analysis and categorization of information on taxation in Brazil. Its focus is on the current...