New York, United Nations, 11 April, 2012: High Level Thematic Debate "Addressing Excessive Price Volatility in Food and Related Financial and Commodity Markets"

The UN General Assembly (UNGA) held a high-level thematic debate on "Addressing Excessive Price Volatility in Food and Related Financial and Commodity Markets," under the auspices of the President of the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council. The event was part of a UNGA resolution on excessive price volatility adopted on 14 February 2012, which called for policies to address long-term structural issues of the commodity economy and integrate commodity policies into wider development and poverty eradication strategies at all levels. The resolution underscored the financial regula…

The changing nature of Asian-Latin American economic relations

The swift expansion of developing Asia is probably the most significant structural change in the world economy of the twenty-first century. Latin America, and in particular South America, have strongly benefited from developing Asia’s surge. China has become one of the region’s main trade partners. Despite their benefits, strengthened trans-Pacific economic relations have also become a cause for concern in Latin America, due to major imbalances of different kinds. The purpose of this book is twofold. On the one hand, it aims to document the growing investment and trade relations between Latin …

Revenue sharing: The case of Brazil's ICMS

The ICMS represents the most important source of revenue for the Brazilian states and one of the most important taxes in Brazil. Unlike other VATs in the world, the ICMS is not collected by the central government. The ICMS is collected by the states (the intermediate level of government), which are able to fix the internal rates; a situation that reflects the fiscal autonomy of the different levels of government in Brazil. Similarly, the direct and unconditional transfers of 25% of the ICMS collection to the municipalities (the local level) show the high degree of autonomy at the sub–national …

Tax structure and tax evasion in Latin America

When studying tax issues in Latin America, along with any regional perspective, individual country differences must be taken into account. Despite this regional diversity, the tax systems of the vast majority of Latin America's countries share certain key characteristics: the composition of their tax structures; the technical, economic, political and administrative constraints they face; current trends in tax policy and administration; and a high estimated level of tax evasion. Today's globalized world calls for the need to align tax policies and administrations with those used in ot…

Seminario "América Latina y Europa: Los retos de la globalización, las PYMES como motor de crecimiento"

Organizado por CIDOB (Barcelona Centre for International Affairs) en colaboración con la DFD de la Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL), la ESADE (Escuela Superior de Administración y Dirección de Empresas) y la Secretaría General Iberoamericana (SEGIB). VIII Seminario sobre la Agenda de Desarrollo Iberoamericana (ADI).…

Policy Brief: Evidence based policy-making in the Caribbean

There is much advocacy in the Caribbean regarding the need for evidence-based policy making, that is – policy making that is based on timely and reliable data regarding a particular economic and/or social problem, to promote good governance and facilitate enhanced policy and programme outcomes. However, the reality remains an elusive one for many Caribbean policy makers, who implement policies based on ideas, as well as ad hoc or outdated data. Outside of the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, Australia and the United States of America are countries where polic…

Development Paths In The Caribbean

This study analyzes the patterns of development in the Caribbean and gives particular focus to the challenges to and opportunities for sustainable development. The study is divided into two parts. The first part of the study examines trajectories for development in the Caribbean, while the second addresses the relationship between competition and integration.1 The significant development gains attained since independence have been threatened in the last decade. Slowing productivity growth, rising debt, increasing crime and social dislocation in recent years have adversely affected growth in pe…

ECLAC Highlights Cooperation Opportunities between Latin America and the Caribbean and the Republic of Korea

(17 May 2012) The Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) Alicia Bárcena concluded her official visit to the Republic of Korea on Wednesday, during which she met with authorities of this Asian country and participated in the 2012 High-Level Forum on Korea-Latin American and Caribbean Partnership. The United Nations high-level official held a meeting with Keun Ho Jang, Director-General for Latin American and Caribbean Affairs Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Korea, as well as with other authorities, with whom she reaffirme…

CEPAL destaca oportunidades de cooperación entre América Latina y el Caribe y la República de Corea

(17 de mayo, 2012) La Secretaria Ejecutiva de la Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL), Alicia Bárcena, finalizó el miércoles una visita oficial a la República de Corea, en la cual sostuvo encuentros con autoridades de ese país asiático y participó en el Foro de Alto Nivel para la Cooperación Corea-América Latina y el Caribe 2012. La alta funcionaria de las Naciones Unidas se entrevistó con Keun Ho Jang, Director General para Asuntos de América Latina y el Caribe del Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores y Comercio de Corea, y otras autoridades con las que reafirmó el progra…

Final evaluation report. Final report of the second phase of the in-depth evaluation of the role of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) in the Caribbean.

Macroeconomic cooperation for uncertain times: the REDIMA experience

This book shows how international policy cooperation can be beneficial even in the absence of strong real transmission channels between countries. “Cooperation for learning”, the approach to cooperation we present, works by allowing policymakers to exchange experiences and jointly learn how to address regular common policymaking challenges posed by different types of uncertainty. Such cooperation is based on the establishment of links between policymakers and other institutions. International organizations like the United Nations can nurture and support such learning networks. In Latin America…

Negotiating trade agreements for the 21st century

This paper was prepared as a stimulant to discussions at the workshop “Negotiating trade agreements for the 21st century: The case of the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement”, organized jointly by the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and the University of Adelaide’s Institute for International Trade (IIT), with the generous financial support of the Australian Government’s Overseas Aid Program (AUSAid). The workshop, held at the ECLAC headquarters in Santiago from 26 to 28 March 2012, brought together experienced trade negotiators from Australia’s D…

Visita de María Otero, Subsecretaria de Estado de los Estados Unidos para la Seguridad Civil, la Democracia y los Derechos Humanos

Visita del Primer Ministro de la República Popular China, Wen Jiabao