The G20 and the promotion of equal opportunities Tackling the root causes of inequality, exclusion and discrimination 1 f The G20 and the promotion of equal opportunities THE G20 AND THE PROMOTION OF EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES © OECD 2024 PUBE Tackling the root causes of inequality, exclusion and discrimination This work is published under the responsibility of the Secretary-General of the OECD. The opinions expressed and arguments employed herein do not necessarily reflect the official views of the Member countri ...

Investment Rating - The report indicates that Portugal has fully implemented 5 recommendations, partially implemented 20 recommendations, and not implemented 20 recommendations regarding the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention [6]. Core Insights - Portugal has made progress in implementing several Phase 4 recommendations, particularly in increasing resources and expertise for law enforcement authorities, which has led to indictments in ongoing foreign bribery cases [7]. - However, significant concerns remain regarding the legal framework and enforcement actions, with no convictions or sanctions imposed for foreign bribery since the adoption of the Phase 4 report [9]. Summary of Findings - Portugal's efforts include the effective implementation of the National Anti-Corruption Mechanism and improved feedback from the Financial Intelligence Unit regarding suspicious transaction reports [7]. - Despite these efforts, Portugal has not adequately addressed recommendations related to whistleblower protection and maintaining detailed statistics on foreign bribery cases [7]. - Longstanding legal framework concerns persist, particularly regarding the lack of sanctions for natural persons and the absence of amendments to ensure effective corporate liability for foreign bribery [7][9]. Recommendations Regarding Prevention and Detection of Foreign Bribery - Portugal has partially implemented measures to raise awareness of corruption among public officials, but specific training on foreign bribery remains insufficient [10]. - The country has taken limited steps to clarify whistleblower protections and broaden the definition of retaliation [11]. - There are ongoing efforts to enhance training for law enforcement and public officials regarding money laundering and foreign bribery, but further action is needed [12]. Recommendations Regarding Enforcement of Foreign Bribery and Related Offences - Portugal has not implemented key recommendations regarding the imposition of fines as sanctions for foreign bribery, which raises concerns about the effectiveness of penalties [15]. - While some training sessions for judges and prosecutors have been organized, there is a need for broader dissemination of good practices related to sanctions [15]. - The country has made progress in confiscation measures related to foreign bribery cases, but further training and awareness are necessary [15]. Recommendations Regarding Liability of, and Engagement with, Legal Persons - Portugal has not taken steps to ensure that the liability of legal persons for foreign bribery is not contingent on the conviction of associated natural persons [20]. - Concerns remain regarding the vague definition of the defense of acting against express orders, which could allow companies to evade liability for foreign bribery [20].

Investment Rating - The report does not explicitly provide an investment rating for the industry. Core Insights - The report emphasizes the importance of building and maintaining trust in public institutions in Chile, particularly in the context of ongoing socioeconomic and political challenges [5][18][19] - Trust levels in Chilean public institutions have been declining since 2010, which is consistent with trends observed across Latin America [19][35] - The OECD Trust Survey indicates that only 30% of Chileans have high or moderately high trust in the national government, significantly lower than the OECD average [20][21] Summary by Sections Executive Summary - The report outlines that low trust in public institutions can hinder social cohesion and effective governance, especially in addressing complex challenges [18] - It highlights that trust can be fostered through responsive institutions that meet public expectations and adhere to principles of openness and fairness [18] Trust in Context: Chile - The chapter discusses various socioeconomic, political, and institutional factors that influence public trust in Chile, including economic inequalities and the impact of misinformation [30] Trust in Public Institutions in Chile - The report presents findings from the 2023 OECD Trust Survey, revealing that trust in the national government (30%) and civil service (24%) is below the OECD averages [20] - Trust in the police (52%) and local government (36%) is higher compared to national institutions, while political parties (14%) and Congress (19%) are the least trusted [20] Drivers of Trust in Public Institutions - Key drivers of trust include the government's ability to cooperate with stakeholders, transparency in decision-making, and ensuring that citizens feel their voices are heard [24][25] - The report identifies that perceptions of effective checks and balances are crucial for trust in all public institutions [25] Recommendations for Enhancing Trust - The report suggests five areas for improvement: enhancing public service quality, strengthening government preparedness for complex issues, improving communication with citizens, reinforcing public integrity, and promoting fairness across institutions [26] - Specific recommendations include establishing a common vision for public services, enhancing user experience, and implementing training for front-line civil servants [27][28] Trust and Values in Chile - The report notes that perceptions of fairness are low, with only 39% of Chileans believing their applications for government services would be treated fairly [29] - It emphasizes the need for policies that address economic vulnerabilities and discrimination to foster trust among all population groups [29]

Investment Rating - The report does not explicitly provide an investment rating for the industry under review Core Insights - The OECD Anti-Bribery Convention establishes legally binding standards to criminalize foreign bribery in international business transactions, requiring countries to hold companies liable and impose effective sanctions [13][29] - Thailand aims to align its anti-corruption framework with OECD standards as part of its Country Programme, which includes enhancing participation in OECD committees [14][20] - The assessment identifies areas for improvement in Thailand's legal and policy frameworks to combat transnational bribery [16][27] Summary by Sections Introduction - The report emphasizes the importance of combating foreign bribery to maintain integrity in international markets and outlines Thailand's commitment to aligning its legal framework with international standards [19][20] Economic Profile and Foreign Bribery Risks - Thailand's GDP in 2023 was estimated at USD 495.3 billion, making it the second largest economy in Southeast Asia [38] - The country has significant trade relationships with partners that present corruption risks, such as Vietnam and China [48] - The report highlights that Thai companies are exposed to foreign bribery risks, particularly in sectors like electronics and chemicals [49] Foreign Bribery Offence - Thailand's legal framework criminalizes the bribery of foreign public officials, but there have been no prosecutions under the relevant laws, indicating a lack of jurisprudence [59] - The report assesses the elements of the foreign bribery offence against OECD standards, noting that while the law covers various aspects, there are gaps in its application, particularly regarding intermediaries [71][74] Recommendations - The report provides recommendations for strengthening Thailand's legal and enforcement framework to better align with OECD standards and enhance its capacity to combat foreign bribery [27][49]

Group 1: Overview of Living Income and Living Wage - Many workers globally earn below living wage standards, risking poverty and human rights issues[5] - The International Labour Organization (ILO) estimates that half of the world's workers do not receive formal wages, often working as smallholders or family workers[5] - In agriculture, low wages and seasonal labor contribute to unstable employment conditions, while the garment industry faces low wages due to high competition and poor procurement practices[5] Group 2: Responsible Business Conduct - Companies are expected to conduct due diligence to address adverse human rights, labor, and environmental impacts in their operations and supply chains[5] - The OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises emphasize the need for companies to provide the best possible wages and working conditions within the framework of government policies and international standards[5] - Addressing living income and wage gaps is crucial for companies to contribute to sustainable development goals (SDGs) and mitigate risks associated with labor practices[25] Group 3: Steps for Due Diligence - The manual outlines a six-step risk-based due diligence framework for companies to address living income and wage gaps[7] - Companies should integrate commitments and actions related to living income and wages into their policies and management systems[23] - Identifying and assessing living income and wage gaps, along with their impacts on operations and supply chains, is essential for effective risk management[23] Group 4: Stakeholder Engagement and Communication - Companies are encouraged to communicate their commitments and actions regarding living income and wage gaps to affected stakeholders[23] - Engaging with workers, unions, and organizations representing smallholders is vital for understanding risks and prioritizing actions[34] - Public awareness and advocacy from civil society organizations are increasing pressure on companies to take responsibility for living wage issues[29]

Group 1: Digital Government Services Overview - The report highlights the importance of digital government services in enhancing public service accessibility and user experience across G7 countries and Ukraine[2] - It emphasizes the shift from e-government to digital government, focusing on using technology and data to improve government operations and services[6] - G7 members are committed to sharing case studies of digital government services to guide future initiatives and discussions[6] Group 2: Key Digital Identity Solutions - Most G7 countries have implemented single sign-on or federated identity solutions, simplifying access to online government services[11] - For instance, the UK’s GOV.UK One Login has created 1.7 million accounts and verified 4.1 million identities as of April 2024[12] - Italy's SPID system allows approximately 37.5 million citizens to access services from 17,744 administrative bodies[16] Group 3: Data Sharing and Open Data Initiatives - G7 countries are advancing open data initiatives, with 50% of high-value government datasets available as open data, slightly above the OECD average of 47%[42] - Italy's ANPR database facilitates the sharing of resident information across over 7,900 municipalities, enhancing service delivery[31] - The EU's open data portal, data.europa.eu, provides access to 1.7 million datasets from 35 European countries[39] Group 4: Digital Payment and Notification Services - A unified digital payment system can streamline payments for government services, improving efficiency and reducing administrative costs[60] - Italy's SEND platform has sent approximately 4 million notifications since its launch in July 2023, enhancing communication between the government and citizens[59] - Canada's GCNotify integrates email and SMS notifications, providing a secure tool for government departments[60]

Investment Rating - The report does not explicitly provide an investment rating for the tourism industry in Spain. Core Insights - Tourism is a cornerstone of Spain's economy, with international tourist arrivals reaching 85.0 million in 2023, exceeding pre-pandemic levels by 1.8%, and generating EUR 108.8 billion in international tourist expenditure [20][21] - The report emphasizes the need for a balanced approach to tourism that maximizes positive impacts while minimizing negative environmental and social effects [21][25] - A tailored indicator framework has been developed to measure and monitor the sustainability of tourism in four Spanish regions: Andalusia, Catalonia, Navarra, and the Region of Valencia [25][26] Summary by Sections Foreword - The OECD has supported four Spanish regions in developing a system of indicators to measure tourism sustainability, funded by the European Union [6][10] - The project aims to build a more sustainable, resilient, and digital tourism ecosystem in Europe post-COVID [6] Chapter 1: Policy Context - The chapter outlines the policy context and aims of the initiative, highlighting the challenges faced by regional governments in measuring tourism's economic, social, and environmental impacts [29][33] - It discusses the National Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan, which aims to modernize and build a sustainable tourism sector [31][32] Chapter 2: Existing Frameworks - This chapter reviews existing sustainability initiatives and indicator frameworks globally, identifying gaps in measuring tourism sustainability beyond economic factors [22][23] Chapter 3: Indicator Framework - A system of indicators has been developed, structured around 11 policy issues, including economic benefits, local community sentiment, and environmental management [26][27] - The framework includes 21 core indicators and 9 supplementary indicators, with a focus on regional specificities [26][27] Chapter 4: Compilation Guide - Detailed guidance is provided for compiling indicators across governance, economic, social, and environmental dimensions [34][35] Chapter 5: Future Development - The report outlines avenues for refining indicator methodologies and addressing data gaps related to cultural heritage, greenhouse gas emissions, and digitalization [28][39]

Investment Rating - The report does not explicitly provide an investment rating for the public procurement industry in Hungary. Core Insights - The report highlights that public procurement in Hungary accounts for 16.4% of GDP and 33.8% of government expenditure, indicating its significant role in the economy [7] - The Hungarian government has committed to reducing the share of public procurement resulting in single bids to below 15% for both EU and national funded projects [17] - The report emphasizes the need for a multifaceted approach to improve competition in public procurement, addressing various root causes of low supplier participation [8] Summary by Sections Executive Summary - Hungary has a high rate of single-bid procedures, with a drop to 33% in 2022 from around 40% during 2019-2021 [17] - The government is implementing reforms to enhance competition, including a monitoring tool and a performance measurement framework [17][18] Chapter 1: The Role of Competition - Competition is essential for achieving value for money in public procurement, with significant cost savings associated with competitive processes [27] - The prevalence of single-bid procedures is a major concern, with single bidding increasing prices by approximately 9.6% [31] Chapter 2: State of Competition in Hungary - The report analyzes the existing frameworks for measuring competition, including the Single-bid Reporting Tool and the Public Procurement Performance Measurement Framework [45] - It provides an overview of competition levels across various sectors and regions in Hungary [45] Chapter 3: Strengthening Collaboration - The report discusses the need for better coordination among key stakeholders in the public procurement system to enhance competition [21] - It suggests that the government should streamline monitoring and control systems to avoid overlaps and ensure consistent interpretation of laws [21] Chapter 4: Enhancing Capacities - Recommendations include improving the capacities of contracting authorities and bidders to make procurement opportunities more attractive [24] - The report emphasizes the importance of training for both public procurement officials and private sector participants, especially SMEs [24] Chapter 5: Recommendations - The report outlines specific measures for enhancing competition, including mandatory market consultations and action plans for contracting authorities [34] - It stresses the importance of continuous monitoring and assessment of the impact of implemented measures on competition levels [22]

Industry Overview - The report focuses on the competition policy in digital markets, particularly the combined effect of ex ante and ex post instruments in G7 jurisdictions [1][3] - Regulators are increasingly concerned about the market power of large digital platforms and their influence across markets, leading to debates on the effectiveness of competition law enforcement in addressing digital competition concerns [3] - The OECD was tasked with compiling an inventory of legislative reforms aimed at addressing digital competition issues in G7 jurisdictions, with the analysis expanding to non-G7 jurisdictions in 2023 [4] Core Findings - The report highlights the convergence and divergence between regulatory regimes proposed to address digital competition concerns, focusing on key competition issues and enforcement patterns in G7 countries [6] - It analyzes recent antitrust cases to identify problematic conducts and the remedies implemented by competition authorities, with a focus on the complementarities and overlaps between ex ante and ex post instruments [7] - The report also examines the extraterritorial effects of national enforcement activities in digital markets, particularly how platforms' compliance strategies may impact global markets [7] Key Competition Concerns Anti-Steering Practices and MFNs - Anti-steering practices and most-favored-nation (MFN) clauses have been a major focus of competition enforcement, with platforms like Apple and Amazon facing scrutiny for restricting business users from offering better terms or steering consumers to alternative channels [13][14] - Remedies in these cases often require platforms to remove or not enforce anti-steering and MFN provisions, with similar measures being incorporated into ex ante regulations like the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA) [18][19] Use of Data - The accumulation and use of user data by large platforms have raised competition concerns, particularly around platforms leveraging data to gain unfair advantages in related markets [22] - Enforcement actions have targeted platforms like Amazon and Meta for using non-public data from business users to inform their own retail or advertising decisions, with behavioral commitments being accepted to address these concerns [23][24] Self-Preferencing - Self-preferencing, where platforms favor their own products or services over those of competitors, has been a growing concern, with investigations targeting Amazon, Google, and Apple [30][31] - Remedies in these cases vary, with some jurisdictions considering structural remedies, such as requiring divestitures, to address the underlying conflicts of interest [33] Tying and Bundling Practices - Tying and bundling practices, particularly in mobile operating systems and app stores, have been a longstanding focus of competition enforcement, with Google and Apple facing multiple investigations [37][38] - Remedies have included allowing alternative payment systems and improving interoperability, with ex ante regulations like the DMA also addressing these issues [42] Compliance and Extraterritorial Effects - Platforms generally tailor their compliance measures to the jurisdiction at stake, with limited extraterritorial effects observed [47][48] - However, in some cases, platforms have made global changes in response to enforcement actions, particularly when multiple jurisdictions investigate the same conduct [49][53] - The report notes that platforms' compliance strategies are influenced by the costs and benefits of maintaining differentiated operations across jurisdictions, with potential fragmentation of services and outcomes for users [57][58] Conclusion - The report concludes that ex ante regulations and traditional antitrust enforcement will continue to play complementary roles in addressing competition concerns in digital markets, with ongoing uncertainty about the effectiveness of remedies and compliance strategies [61][62] - International cooperation and knowledge sharing will be critical to mitigate the risks of fragmentation and ensure consistent outcomes across jurisdictions [67]

Investment Rating - The report does not explicitly provide an investment rating for the industry. Core Insights - The Egyptian Goodwill Committee is focused on enhancing child-friendly justice and addressing international parental child abduction cases, with a commitment to improving governance and legal frameworks [7][18]. - The report emphasizes the need for Egypt to consider ratifying the Hague Convention on International Child Abduction to align with international standards and improve cooperation with OECD member states [22][34]. Summary by Sections Executive Summary - The Goodwill Committee has managed approximately 200 international parental child abduction cases since its establishment in 2000, with around 85 still active [18]. - The review identifies opportunities for reform in governance arrangements, multilateral ratification, and addressing systemic barriers [19]. Assessment and Recommendations - The report outlines three main streams for reform: enhancing governance arrangements, reviewing multilateral ratification, and implementing prevention mechanisms [25]. - Recommendations include including new child justice institutions in the Committee, clarifying roles and responsibilities, and revising the Committee's mandate to prioritize the best interests of the child [30]. Understanding Child Rights and Child Abduction Frameworks - Egypt has ratified key international instruments for child rights, including the Convention on the Rights of the Child [40]. - The report discusses the complexities of international parental child abduction and the need for effective governance frameworks to manage such cases [45][51]. Strengthening the Mandate and Institutional Arrangements - Recommendations include enhancing the Committee's capacity by including the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood and the Child Protection Bureau as permanent members [20]. - The report suggests streamlining access to the Committee's services and improving case management processes [21]. Enhancing Access and Participation - The report highlights the importance of developing a user-friendly communication strategy to raise awareness of the Committee's services [33]. - It also emphasizes the need for procedural improvements to facilitate access and participation in the justice process [4.4]. Considering a Transition to Multilateral Governance - The report recommends that the Government of Egypt assess the viability of ratifying the Hague Convention to strengthen its governance framework [34]. Removing Systemic Barriers and Considering Prevention Mechanisms - The report identifies systemic barriers such as child travel bans and suggests mechanisms to mitigate these issues, including requiring parents to register their contact details upon entry to Egypt [35].