Promotion of foreign direct investment (FDI) has been a priority policy goal in Central America, Panama and Dominican Republic for the past twenty years. Fiscal benefits are among the policies that have been used to attract it. At first sight the model followed has been fruitful. In 2013 the eight countries of the region succeeded in attracting US$ 12.7 billion, the highest level of FDI in their history. But there are question marks about how FDI will perform in future and what the incentives to promote it should be now that World Trade Organization rules on the instruments used to promote FDI in the region have changed. The present book analyzes this situation in depth. Firstly, it reviews the importance of FDI in the region as a source of financing for the external deficit. Then it reviews the findings of international economic research on the impact of FDI on growth and the factors that attract it. It highlights that far from being assured, the benefits of FDI depend on complementary factors which are often not present in the region. Subsequently the book analyzes the international evolution of FDI and the growing importance of multinationals of Latin origin. It then tackles the controversial question of the efficacy of fiscal incentives as a means to attract investment, following an innovative technical approach based on firm level data which questions whether the free zones have had a net positive impact on development. This analysis is complemented by a study of investment promotion policies, which focuses particularly on the Investment Promotion Agencies. Finally, the book outlines the prospects for FDI attraction now the sun has set on strategies based on providing fiscal incentives. It argues that a new strategy should be based on the creation of new skills and capacities through instruments designed to complement productive development policies and thereby generate positive spillovers in the economy.

In 2010, the Latin American and Caribbean region showed great resilience to the international financial crisis and became the world region with the fastest-growing flows of both inward and outward foreign direct investment (FDI). The upswing in FDI in the region has occurred in a context in which developing countries in general have taken on a greater share in both inward and outward FDI flows. This briefing paper is divided into five sections. The first offers a regional overview of FDI in 2010. The second examines FDI trends in Central America, Panama and the Dominican Republic. The third describes the presence China is beginning to build up as an investor in the region. Lastly, the fourth and fifth sections analyze the main foreign investments and business strategies in the telecommunications and software sectors, respectively.

In July 2020, the Investment Committee recommended to Council to invite Uruguay to become the 50th adherent to the OECD Declaration on International Investment and Multinational Enterprises. This OECD Investment Policy Review of Uruguay documents the progress made in recent years to align investment policies with the national development strategy in pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In an era when trade and currency wars threaten to end a long-standing period of growing trade and capital flows, the economics of international trade, investment and finance have become more important than ever. This three-volume Encyclopedia provides a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of the theory and evidence on the causes and consequences of global trade, and the theory and evidence on the economics of international trade, financial and monetary transactions.It provides, first of all, a comprehensive set of entries explaining the key theoretical concepts in international economics as well as the latest empirical and simulation techniques used in the academic literature. In addition, various entries present the history behind — and the controversies surrounding — the core current global trade and monetary institutions, from the World Trade Organization to the European Monetary Union.The three volumes also provide a serious discussion of today's central policy debates, including the impact of globalization on employment, wages and income distribution, the imposition of controls on international financial flows, the effects of tariffs and protectionist policies, fixed versus flexible exchange rate regimes, and the role of the multinational enterprise on global growth, technical change and income distribution, among many others.

This comprehensive Handbook provides an insight into the main concepts and academic debates on taxation from a political science perspective. Providing a background to current debates on green taxation, taxation and inequality, taxation and gender, tax evasion and avoidance, and tax compliance, it offers potential avenues for future research.

This volume draws together researchers working in a variety of disciplines in order to explore the many ways that locations matter for firms. The authors draw on newly available data, recently developed theory, and diverse methodology to understand the relationships between firm boundaries, firm activities, and geographic borders.

Panama has achieved socio-economic improvements in recent decades thanks to strong economic growth and consequent poverty reduction. Its growth model is characterised by a dual economy in which a small number of activities, including those related to the Canal and Special Economic Zones, have ...

This document examines the global and regional evolution of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and offers recommendations so these flows can contribute to the region's productive development processes.

Selected Issues and Analytical Notes