World Bank

Weekly Round-Up

In this week's round-up, we featured new stories on:

  • ITIC's redesigned website
  • The IMF's new paper on "Measuring the Digital Economy"
  • The OECD's second edition Common Reporting Standard Implementation Handbook
  • Will Morris (PwC Deputy Global Tax Policy Leader)'s article on the impact of digital tax proposals on business
  • IMF Country Report No. 18/93 on Iran
  • The World Bank's Policy Research Working Paper on taxation and the shadow economy
  • The IMF's end-of-mission press release for the staff visit to Thailand

IMF/World Bank Meetings Focus on “Growth-Friendly Fiscal Policy”

The mood at last weekend’s IMF and World Bank Spring Meetings was the most optimistic since the global financial crisis of 2008-2009, as evidenced by the communiqué issued by the IMF’s Governing Board: “The global economic recovery is gaining momentum, commodity prices have firmed up, and deflation risks are receding.” Nevertheless, there are concerns that political and policy uncertainties (often citing the U.S. and EU) pose risks to improving growth. Concerns were also expressed by government officials, IMF senior representatives and civil society groups about “those who have been left behind” and have not benefited from global economic integration and technological progress.