Finance & Economics | WPN World People News

The World Bank Group (WBG), the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Government of Panama unveiled an agreement to enhance transparency and accountability in Latin America and the Caribbean countries, aimed at fighting corruption and mobilizing greater private financing for development, on Jun 13.

Tax professionals have stressed the need for greater support from HMRC to help businesses get their VAT right and close the VAT gap.

The CIOT has argued in written evidence to the Treasury Sub-Committee’s Tax Avoidance and Tax Evasion Inquiry that HMRC should direct more resources to tackling illegal tax evasion activity given its persistence in Tax Gap figures, rather than simply pile on legislative changes.

On March 23, 2018, the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) concluded the Article IV Consultation with Tunisia.
Economic growth almost doubled to 1.9 percent in 2017, as confidence strengthened on the back of improved security and the unity government’s early progress with policy and reform implementation. Investment and exports remained sluggish, however.

Cities can be enormous engines for growth and development in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), particularly when policies supporting higher productivity are in place, according to a new World Bank report.

The German economy is undergoing a robust expansion, with record-low unemployment and real wage gains underpinning domestic demand while strong exports are driving business investment. The strong fiscal position will offer opportunities for funding structural reforms and public investment to meet future challenges, according to a new report from the OECD.

Ethiopia’s GDP growth will decelerate to 9.6% in fiscal year 2018 (July 2017 to June 2018), down from 10.9% in fiscal year 2017, according to a new World Bank Group report.

The United States will not lift the ban on doing business with Chinese telecommunications giant ZTE until ZTE pays a $1 billion fine for trade violations and places $400 million more in escrow.

The new programme will allow at least 350,000 young Europeans to support communities in need between 2021 and 2027 through volunteering, traineeships and job placements. The proposal, on June 11, adopted marks the consolidation of the Corps for the next budgetary period.