CEPAL Review No. 144

Industrial policy trends in Germany

Industrial policy is firmly back on the international agenda and it comes in new forms. The general attitude of governments around the world has gone through phases: from outright rejection in some countries during the neoliberal phase to light-handed interventions in the early 2000s, and, increasingly, to deeper interventions over the last 10 to 15 years. Two trends are driving industrial policymaking of late, especially in the United States, China and Europe: decarbonization, which requires deep, government-led restructuring of various industries; and increasing geopolitical rivalry and supp…

New objectives, same rationales: shifts in the United Kingdom’s industrial strategies?

This report tracks the development of the Industrial Strategy of the United Kingdom, from its publication in 2017 through to the period following the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Using information from official policy documents, grey literature and academic publications —as well as conversations with experts— this document provides an overview of the Strategy’s rationales and objectives and of the instruments adopted under it. The report also discusses implementation challenges and presents lessons for the future design and implementation of industrial strategies. Following the wit…

Development Traps in Latin America and the Caribbean: Vital Transformations and How to Manage Them. Summary

Latin America and the Caribbean is facing a number of development traps that pose significant obstacles to a more productive, inclusive and sustainable future. This development crisis coincides with an international context that has changed considerably in the last decade —both on the geo-economic and geopolitical fronts— and which is shifting towards a new set of rules for trade and investment. For its fortieth session, the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) is putting forward a new proposal analysing three transformations that are vital for moving towards a new d…

Development Traps in Latin America and the Caribbean: Vital Transformations and How to Manage Them

Latin America and the Caribbean is facing a number of development traps that pose significant obstacles to a more productive, inclusive and sustainable future. This development crisis coincides with an international context that has changed considerably in the last decade —both on the geo-economic and geopolitical fronts— and which is shifting towards a new set of rules for trade and investment. For its fortieth session, the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) is putting forward a new proposal analysing three transformations that are vital for moving towards a new …

Report on the activities of the Commission, 2023

In 2023, the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) celebrated its seventy-fifth anniversary. Since its establishment in 1948, ECLAC has been a leader in generating applied knowledge and research from the perspective of the region. The Commission’s commitment has remained strong throughout these past decades, contributing to the design and implementation of public policies taking into consideration the needs and demands of member States. This report on the activities undertaken by ECLAC in 2023 highlights the Commission’s key achievements and contributions and is hereb…

Annotated provisional agenda. Ninth Ministerial Conference on the Information Society in Latin America and the Caribbean

Intergenerational relations: creating a world for all ages so that no one is left behind

This paper, prepared jointly by the five regional commissions of the United Nations, explores the social and economic challenges and opportunities of demographic shifts towards multigenerational societies across the countries covered by the five regional commissions. It discusses the latest evidence on demographic trends and intergenerational relations, labour markets, social protection, care, living arrangements and digitalization across regions, and it provides recommendations to build societies for all ages. With a strong interdisciplinary and interregional focus, the paper addresses interg…

Provisional agenda. Ninth Ministerial Conference on the Information Society in Latin America and the Caribbean

Industrial strategies for tackling the challenges of the twenty-first century: trends in objectives, rationales and design in policy and academia

This report documents global shifts in of industrial policy objectives and the rationales behind public intervention to address them. Drawing from a selected sample of policy documents from international organizations and countries with literature on innovation and technical change, this report presents a classification of objectives and rationales. This classification is used to code systematically the academic literature on industrial policy to analyse changes in objectives and rationales in publications on countries of different income groups. The findings show increased attention to social…

The Hummingbird Vol. 11 No. 9

SIDS 4: Now or never for small island survival

CEPAL Review No. 143

Foreign Direct Investment in Latin America and the Caribbean, 2024

Latin America and the Caribbean is caught in three development traps: weak capacity for growth; high inequality and low levels of social mobility; and limited institutional capacities, along with ineffective governance. Incorporating foreign direct investment (FDI) into productive development policies could help to address these challenges. ECLAC presents the 2024 edition of the annual report Foreign Direct Investment in Latin America and the Caribbean against this backdrop. As is the case every year, the first chapter provides an overview of global and regional FDI and identifies the main tre…

The Hummingbird Vol. 11 No. 8

Regulatory sandboxes in developing economies: an innovative governance approach

The report examines the development and impact of regulatory sandboxes in low- and middle-income countries. With a focus on understanding the viability and effectiveness of these innovative spaces, it provides a comprehensive analysis aimed at policymakers, international organizations and national authorities considering regulatory sandboxes for new sectors and technologies. Key insights include the emergence of regulatory sandboxes as vital tools for grappling with disruptive technologies, such as artificial intelligence, 5G and cryptocurrencies. Originally popularized by financial authoritie…

The Hummingbird Vol. 11 No. 7

Measuring the Internet economy in Latin America: the cases of Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Mexico

The adoption of digital technologies is a crucial tool for bridging the productivity gaps between countries in Latin America and the Caribbean and more developed nations, generating new sources of growth, and creating high-quality jobs. Evidence-based policies are needed to harness the potential of these technologies, guide technological change, seize opportunities and mitigate risks. This publication presents an exploratory study conducted in Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Mexico, in which various sources of information are combined, including web data and official statistics, to measure the onl…

Resilient growth, development and structural change in the Caribbean

CEPAL Review No. 141. Special 75th anniversary issue: towards a more productive, inclusive and sustainable development model