Barbados
This report examines labour informality in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), focusing on both individual workers and households. Using data from the OECD's Key Indicators of Informality based on Individuals and their Households (KIIbIH), which cover 19 LAC countries, it shows that two-thirds of the region's population lives in informal or mixed households, many of which rely entirely on informal work. The report then discusses how informality limits access to social protection and affects household well-being, particularly for women, youth and the elderly. It highlights differences between rural and urban areas, and the prevalence of informality in sectors like agriculture. Additionally, it presents recent policy efforts aimed at expanding social protection and formalising employment, including strategies to address the challenges posed by digital and platform-based work. It offers insights for policy makers and researchers interested in understanding informality and its implications for social protection and labour markets in the region.
Given the fast pace of global socio-economic development, more tailored, focused, and localised efforts to strengthen public sector capacity in small island developing states (SIDS) is increasingly important. SIDS have unique vulnerabilities, rich histories and contexts, and strengths that can be harnessed for sustainable development. Development partners need to adapt how they provide capacity-strengthening support, taking individual SIDS’ circumstances and needs into account to better help them achieve their ambitions. This report summarises perspectives from small island developing states (SIDS) on current experiences and opportunities to improve capacity-strengthening support to make it more tailored, impactful, and sustainable. The report uses the broad definition of capacity-strengthening as activities that improve the competencies and abilities of individuals, organisations, and broader formal and informal social structures in a way that boosts organisational performance. It concentrates on public sector capacity, including interactions with other stakeholders across sectors.
This publication contains the 2022 Second Round Supplementary Peer Review on the Exchange of Information on Request for Barbados.
Los gobiernos pueden utilizar la inteligencia artificial (IA) para diseñar mejores políticas, tomar decisiones más acertadas y específicas y mejorar la comunicación con los ciudadanos y la calidad de los servicios públicos. La región de América Latina y el Caribe (ALC) está tratando de aprovechar el potencial de la IA para promover la transformación digital del sector público. La OCDE, en colaboración con CAF, Banco de Desarrollo de América Latina, preparó este informe para entender la línea base de acciones estratégicas y capacidades para la IA en el sector público; identificar los enfoques y acciones específicas para usar esta tecnología en la construcción de gobiernos eficientes, eficaces y receptivos; e impulsar la colaboración en la búsqueda de una visión regional para la IA en el sector público. Este informe incorpora un balance de las estrategias y compromisos de cada país en torno a la IA en el sector público, incluyendo su alineación con los Principios de IA de la OCDE. También incluye un análisis de los esfuerzos realizados para crear capacidades clave de gobernanza y poner en marcha los facilitadores críticos de la IA en el sector público. Concluye con una serie de recomendaciones para los gobiernos de ALC.
Under BEPS Action 14, members of the OECD/G20 Inclusive Framework on BEPS have committed to implement a minimum standard to strengthen the effectiveness and efficiency of the mutual agreement procedure (MAP). The MAP is included in Article 25 of the OECD Model Tax Convention and commits countries to endeavour to resolve disputes related to the interpretation and application of tax treaties. The BEPS Action 14 Minimum Standard has been translated into specific terms of reference and a methodology for the peer review and monitoring process. The peer review process is conducted in two stages. Stage 1 assesses countries against the terms of reference of the minimum standard according to an agreed schedule of review. Stage 2 focuses on monitoring the follow-up of any recommendations resulting from jurisdictions' Stage 1 peer review report. This report reflects the outcome of the Stage 2 peer monitoring of the implementation of the BEPS Action 14 Minimum Standard by Barbados.
Good governance is a building block for the performance of regulators, including civil aviation authorities. This paper reports the results of a mapping of governance arrangements across 29 civil aviation authorities in Latin American and Caribbean countries, with the International Civil Aviation Organization’s South American and North American, Central American and Caribbean regions.
Applying the methodology of the OECD Indicators on the Governance of Sector Regulators, the results provide a birds-eye view of the independence, accountability and scope of action of participating authorities. This paper explains the indicator methodology, summarises key data points, and presents high-level take aways.
This report compiles comparable tax revenue statistics over the period 1990-2020 for 27 Latin American and Caribbean economies. Based on the OECD Revenue Statistics database, it applies the OECD methodology to countries in Latin America and the Caribbean to enable comparison of tax levels and tax structures on a consistent basis, both among the economies of the region and with other economies. This publication is jointly undertaken by the OECD Centre for Tax Policy and Administration, the OECD Development Centre, the Inter-American Center of Tax Administrations (CIAT), the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).
Governments can use artificial intelligence (AI) to design better policies and make better and more targeted decisions, enhance communication and engagement with citizens, and improve the speed and quality of public services. The Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) region is seeking to leverage the immense potential of AI to promote the digital transformation of the public sector. The OECD, in collaboration with CAF, Development Bank of Latin America, prepared this report to help national governments in the LAC region understand the current regional baseline of activities and capacities for AI in the public sector; to identify specific approaches and actions they can take to enhance their ability to use this emerging technology for efficient, effective and responsive governments; and to collaborate across borders in pursuit of a regional vision for AI in the public sector. This report incorporates a stocktaking of each country’s strategies and commitments around AI in the public sector, including their alignment with the OECD AI Principles. It also includes an analysis of efforts to build key governance capacities and put in place critical enablers for AI in the public sector. It concludes with a series of recommendations for governments in the LAC region.
This report compiles comparable tax revenue statistics over the period 1990-2019 for 27 Latin American and Caribbean economies. Based on the OECD Revenue Statistics database, it applies the OECD methodology to countries in Latin America and the Caribbean to enable comparison of tax levels and tax structures on a consistent basis, both among the economies of the region and with other economies. This publication is jointly undertaken by the OECD Centre for Tax Policy and Administration, the OECD Development Centre, the Inter-American Center of Tax Administrations (CIAT), the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). The 2021 edition is produced with the support of the EU Regional Facility for Development in Transition for Latin America and the Caribbean, which results from joint work led by the European Union, the OECD and its Development Centre, and ECLAC.
Under Action 14, countries have committed to implement a minimum standard to strengthen the effectiveness and efficiency of the mutual agreement procedure (MAP). The MAP is included in Article 25 of the OECD Model Tax Convention and commits countries to endeavour to resolve disputes related to the interpretation and application of tax treaties. The Action 14 Minimum Standard has been translated into specific terms of reference and a methodology for the peer review and monitoring process.
The peer review process is conducted in two stages. Stage 1 assesses countries against the terms of reference of the minimum standard according to an agreed schedule of review. Stage 2 focuses on monitoring the follow-up of any recommendations resulting from jurisdictions' Stage 1 peer review report. This report reflects the outcome of the Stage 1 peer monitoring of the implementation of the Action 14 Minimum Standard by Barbados.
A terceira edição do Panorama das Administrações Públicas: América Latina e Caribe contém as evidências disponíveis mais atualizadas sobre as administrações públicas e seu desempenho na ALC, comparando-as aos países da OCDE. Esta publicação inclui indicadores sobre finanças públicas e economia, emprego público, centros de governo, governança regulatória, dados abertos governamentais, integridade do setor público, aquisições públicas e, pela primeira vez, sobre os resultados centrais dos governos (p.ex., confiança nas instituições, redução da desigualdade). Os indicadores de governança são especialmente úteis para monitorar e comparar o desempenho dos governos nas suas reformas da administração pública. Cada indicador é apresentado em formato acessível para o leitor, e consiste em figuras ou quadros que ilustram as variações nos países e ao longo do tempo, análises descritivas breves, enfatizando os temas principais em cada área, e uma seção metodológica com a definição do indicador bem como qualquer limitação na comparabilidade dos dados.
Panorama de la Salud: Latinoamérica y el Caribe 2020 presenta indicadores clave sobre la salud y los sistemas de salud en 33 países de Latinoamérica y el Caribe. Esta primera edición del Panorama de la Salud sobre Latinoamérica y el Caribe fue preparada en conjunto por la OCDE y el Banco Mundial. Los análisis se basan en los datos comparables más recientes de alrededor de 100 indicadores sobre equidad, situación de salud, determinantes de la salud, recursos y actividades, gasto y financiación, y calidad en la atención de salud. El editorial discute los principales desafíos para la región en el contexto de la pandemia de COVID-19, incluyendo tanto el manejo de la epidemia como la movilización y el uso eficiente de recursos para asegurar una respuesta efectiva. El capítulo inicial, que resume el desempeño comparativo de los países antes de la crisis actual, está seguido por un capítulo especial sobre el malgasto en los sistemas de salud que redunda en acciones inefectivas o no mejora resultados, con el fin de redirigir esos recursos a otras áreas donde son altamente necesarios.
Health at a Glance: Latin America and the Caribbean 2020 presents key indicators on health and health systems in 33 Latin America and the Caribbean countries. This first Health at a Glance publication to cover the Latin America and the Caribbean region was prepared jointly by OECD and the World Bank. Analysis is based on the latest comparable data across almost 100 indicators including equity, health status, determinants of health, health care resources and utilisation, health expenditure and financing, and quality of care. The editorial discusses the main challenges for the region brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, such as managing the outbreak as well as mobilising adequate resources and using them efficiently to ensure an effective response to the epidemic. An initial chapter summarises the comparative performance of countries before the crisis, followed by a special chapter about addressing wasteful health spending that is either ineffective or does not lead to improvement in health outcomes so that to direct saved resources where they are urgently needed.
This report compiles comparable tax revenue statistics over the period 1990-2018 for 26 Latin American and Caribbean economies. Based on the OECD Revenue Statistics database, it applies the OECD methodology to countries in Latin America and the Caribbean to enable comparison of tax levels and tax structures on a consistent basis, both among the economies of the region and with other economies. This publication is jointly undertaken by the OECD Centre for Tax Policy and Administration, the OECD Development Centre, the Inter-American Center of Tax Administrations (CIAT), the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). The 2020 edition is produced with the support of the EU Regional Facility for Development in Transition for Latin America and the Caribbean, which results from joint work led by the European Union, the OECD and its Development Centre, and ECLAC.
This report contains the 2020 Peer Review Report on the Exchange of Information on Request of Barbados.
La tercera edición de Panorama de las Administraciones Públicas América Latina y el Caribe contiene la evidencia disponible más actualizada sobre las administraciones públicas y su desempeño en ALC y en comparación con los países de la OCDE. Esta publicación incluye indicadores sobre finanzas públicas y economía, empleo público, centros de gobierno, gobernanza regulatoria, datos abiertos gubernamentales, integridad del sector público, contratación pública y por primera vez sobre los resultados clave de los gobiernos (p.ej. confianza en las instituciones, reducción de la desigualdad). Los indicadores de gobernanza son especialmente útiles para monitorear y comparar el desempeño de los gobiernos en sus reformas a la administración pública. Cada indicador se presenta en un formato amigable para el lector, que consiste en gráficos o tablas que ilustran las variaciones de los países, un análisis descriptivo breve enfatizando los hallazgos principales en cada área y una sección metodológica con la definición del indicador así como cualquier limitación en la comparabilidad de los datos.
This third edition of Government at a Glance Latin America and the Caribbean provides the latest available evidence on public administrations and their performance in the LAC region and compares it to OECD countries. This publication includes indicators on public finances and economics, public employment, centres of government, regulatory governance, open government data, public sector integrity, public procurement and for the first time core government results (e.g. trust, inequality reduction). Governance indicators are especially useful for monitoring and benchmarking governments' progress in their public sector reforms. Each indicator in the publication is presented in a user-friendly format, consisting of graphs and/or charts illustrating variations across countries and over time, brief descriptive analyses highlighting the major findings of the data, and a methodological section on the definition of the indicator and any limitations in data comparability.
This book contains the 2014 Phase 2 Global Forum Peer Review report for Barbados.
The Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes is the multilateral framework within which work in the area of tax transparency and exchange of information is carried out by 120 jurisdictions, which participate in the Global Forum on an equal footing.
The Global Forum is charged with in-depth monitoring and peer review of the implementation of the international standards of transparency and exchange of information for tax purposes. These standards are primarily reflected in the 2002 OECD Model Agreement on Exchange of Information on Tax Matters and its commentary, and in Article 26 of the OECD Model Tax Convention on Income and on Capital and its commentary as updated in 2004. The standards have also been incorporated into the UN Model Tax Convention.
The standards provide for international exchange on request of foreseeably relevant information for the administration or enforcement of the domestic tax laws of a requesting party. Fishing expeditions are not authorised but all foreseeably relevant information must be provided, including bank information and information held by fiduciaries, regardless of the existence of a domestic tax interest or the application of a dual criminality standard.
All members of the Global Forum, as well as jurisdictions identified by the Global Forum as relevant to its work, are being reviewed. This process is undertaken in two phases. Phase 1 reviews assess the quality of a jurisdiction’s legal and regulatory framework for the exchange of information, while Phase 2 reviews look at the practical implementation of that framework. Some Global Forum members are undergoing combined – Phase 1 and Phase 2 – reviews. The Global Forum has also put in place a process for supplementary reports to follow-up on recommendations, as well as for the ongoing monitoring of jurisdictions following the conclusion of a review. The ultimate goal is to help jurisdictions to effectively implement the international standards of transparency and exchange of information for tax purposes.
All review reports are published once approved by the Global Forum and they thus represent agreed Global Forum reports.