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Corporate governance frameworks in the Middle East and North Africa region have undergone a substantial evolution in the past decade. Better enforcement of corporate governance rules and regulations has in the past three years emerged as both a policy challenge and a priority for the region. This emphasis on better enforcement reflects a number of trends including political changes in some countries of the region, the global call for better surveillance of the adoption of governance rules as well as low investor engagement in the region. This paper examines key developments in public and private corporate governance enforcement in the region. It highlights the growing level of public enforcement as expertise within the securities regulators is growing. The paper provides policy recommendations on specific aspects of governance frameworks such as the treatment of related party transactions and board member responsibilities which - if better regulated - could result in more effective governance enforcement in the region.
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Corporate law in advanced domestic legal systems on the one hand, and typical treaties for the protection of foreign investment on the other hand, treat claims for damages by company shareholders differently. Advanced domestic systems generally bar shareholders from claiming for reflective loss – loss that arises from injury to "their" company (such as a decline in the value of shares). The claim for the loss belongs to the injured company and not to its shareholders. In contrast, shareholder claims for reflective loss have been widely permitted under typical investment treaties over the last 10 years. Ongoing OECD-hosted inter-governmental dialogue on investment law is considering whether there are policy reasons justifying the different approaches to shareholder claims for reflective loss. This paper examines shareholder claims for reflective loss under investment treaties in light of comparative analysis of advanced systems of corporate law. The paper considers the impact of allowing shareholder claims for reflective loss on key characteristics of the business corporation. The paper also explores possible responses by different categories of investors to the availability of shareholder claims for reflective loss under investment treaties.
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This report is structured in three chapters. The first chapter examines the channels through which institutional investors can access green infrastructure, assesses the extent to which this is currently happening, and identifies the barriers to scaling up these investment flows. The second chapter presents four case studies: on utility-scale solar PV power generation in the United States, sustainable agriculture in Brazil, off-shore wind energy in the United Kingdom, and the securitisation of on-shore wind farms in Germany and France. The third chapter uses the conclusions on the case studies to draw out broader lessons for governments on the policy settings which may support investment in green infrastructure by institutional investors. These include, inter alia, ensuring a stable and integrated policy environment, addressing market failures, providing an infrastructure road map, facilitating the development of appropriate green financing vehicles, and promoting market transparency and improved data collection.
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This paper assesses how countries‘ pension arrangements and regulation shape the appropriate structure and flexibility of retirement payout options. The paper aims at providing a guide to policy makers on how to address the diverse questions posed when designing the payout phase or promoting DC pension arrangements, as well as encouraging a market for annuities. The paper addresses questions concerning the type of retirement payout options for accumulated assets in DC plans a country should allow, which entities should provide annuities, and the type of annuity products that could be allowed. The main recommendation is for policy makers to consider mandating deferred life annuities that start paying at very old ages (e.g. at age 85) and allow for the remaining assets accumulated in DC accounts to be allocated as programmed withdrawals (preferably with flexibility to face contingencies).
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The present document surveys the issues related to transparency and third party participation in investor-state dispute settlement procedures. Section I examines the way in which the current rules apply to these issues. Section II describes the steps taken to improve the transparency of the system at the governmental level, by the arbitral Tribunals and the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). Section III examines the perceived advantages as well as the challenges of additional transparency. The last section sums up.
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At a time of continuing financial crisis in Asia, the question of the appropriate policies for recovery and for future sustainable development is paramount. One area of particular importance is the treatment of foreign investors. Foreign direct investment (FDI) has played a leading role in many of the economies of the region, particularly in export sectors, and has been a vital source of foreign capital during the crisis. The four countries reviewed in this study — Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand (referred to hereinafter as the ASEAN4) — have all to varying degrees welcomed inward investment for its contribution to exports. As a result, although only a small share of total investment or employment in each economy, FDI has been a key factor driving export-led growth in Southeast Asia. Foreign firms have by no means been the only actors, but they have played a leading role in those sectors with the fastest export growth such as electronics. Through such investment ...
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This report reviews recent as well as planned changes to accounting and solvency regulations affecting insurers and pension funds and how they may impact long-term investing by these institutions. The review of existing evidence focuses mainly on the impact of risk-based solvency requirements, identifying instances where such regulations may have driven changes in investment strategies and potentially led to pro-cyclical investment behaviour such as the fire-sale of assets in market downturns. The report concludes with a note of caution regarding the application of strict fair value and risk-based solvency rules.
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Financial inclusion is an international policy priority and demand-side initiatives including financial education have an important role to play in helping individuals to access and use appropriate, formal financial products. In 2010, under the support of the Russian Trust Fund for Financial Literacy and Education, the OECD/INFE launched a project on the role of financial education in financial inclusion. The results of this work show that low levels of financial inclusion are associated with lower levels of financial literacy. Recent research, including a broad stock take of INFE members, permitted to identify various ways in which policy makers are developing financial education policies for financial inclusion. Based on a review of approaches taken to deliver financial education for financial inclusion, this report highlights challenges faced and solutions found, and discusses the main lessons learnt and potential way forward.
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This working paper summarises the main findings of a data collection exercise documenting the size of the national state-owned enterprise (SOE) sectors in OECD countries (in terms of number, employment and economic value of enterprises), and provides a breakdown by main sectors and types of incorporation. The data is based on questionnaire responses from national governments, covering the years 2008 and 2009. Twenty-seven of the Organisation.s 34 member countries have contributed to date. Employment in SOEs across the OECD area exceeds 6 million people, and that the value of all SOEs combined is close to US$ 2 trillion. In addition to this, the State in many countries holds minority stakes in listed enterprises that are large enough to confer effective control. These enterprises employ a further 3 million people and are valued at close to US$ 1 trillion. Hence, while state ownership of enterprises has declined in recent decades, SOEs and similar entities continue to account for a significant part of the corporate economy in many countries. Following decades of privatisation, the remaining SOEs have a strong sectoral concentration. Around half (in value terms) of all SOEs in OECD countries are located in the network sectors, mostly transportation, power generation and other energy. A further fourth of total valuation is accounted for by financial institutions. In addition, among the partly state-owned listed companies there are many partly privatised telecommunications companies. In other words, not only do state-invested enterprises remain significant, they are also increasingly concentrated in a few ¡°strategic¡± sectors of great importance to the competitiveness of the rest of the business sector.
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Investor confidence in financial markets depends in large part on the existence of an accurate disclosure regime that provides transparency in the beneficial ownership and control structures of publicly listed companies. This is particularly true for corporate governance systems that are characterised by concentrated ownership. On the one hand, large investors with significant voting and cash-flow rights may encourage long-term growth and firm performance. On the other hand, however, controlling beneficial owners with large voting blocks may have incentives to divert corporate assets and opportunities for personal gain at the expense of minority investors.The paper focuses particularly on the misuse of corporate vehicles, which arguably poses a major challenge to good corporate governance. Stakeholder rights (e.g. employees and creditors) cannot be properly exercised if ultimate decision- be identified. The accountability of the board may also be seriously endangered if stakeholders and the general public are unaware of decision-making and ultimate control structures. Finally, regulators and supervisory agencies have a strong interest in knowing beneficial owners – in order to determine the origin of investment flows, to prevent money laundering and tax evasion and to settle issues of corporate accountability.
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