Government Finance & Accounting

Ombudsman calls for ECB chief to quit global bankers’ club

The EU ombudsman has called on the president of the European Central Bank to stop taking part in the ‘Group of Thirty’ – a global alliance of banking leaders working […]

A renaissance for development banks

Since the credit crunch, many private banks have retreated from lending to key economic sectors. So governments are stepping in – creating development banks to support start-ups and the industries […]

The public finance tools that marry economy and environment

For years, China has been using subsidies and taxation to build its solar power equipment industries – and as a result, it dominates world markets. Now other countries are using […]

Treasury’s chief economist moves to Bank of England

The British government’s chief economic adviser is moving to the Bank of England to serve on its top executive team as the central bank steers the UK’s financial system through […]

The long road to accrual accounting

For two decades, government finance professionals have been shifting from cash-based to accrual accounting. Dawn Cowie scours a new set of interviews for lessons on how governments can realise the […]

Torsten Arnswald, Head of the Fiscal Policy Division, Federal Ministry of Finance, Germany: Exclusive Interview

Germany’s economic success makes the country envied, admired and resented in pretty much equal measure – particularly whilst so many nations are struggling with low growth and high debts. Its […]

70 countries sign OECD tax evasion treaty

More than 70 countries have signed up to the first international treaty designed to crack down on tax evasion by multinational corporations. The multilateral convention, drafted by the Organisation for […]

IMF and Eurozone loan to cover Greece’s July debt repayment

Greece has reached agreement with its European creditors on a new bail-out programme aimed at preventing another summer debt crisis. The 11th hour deal struck at the Eurogroup meeting of […]

Falling commodity prices must prompt reforms in Latin America, says OECD executive

Latin American governments must target spending more closely and make public administration more efficient in order to ease pressure on budgets caused by falling commodity prices, a leading OECD official […]

The limits of freedom: considering the future of central banks

It’s been 20 years since the Bank of England won the freedom to decide interest rates, and doubts over the settlement are growing. Gavin O’Toole hears the concerns of some […]