The global economic crisis is affecting families and communities across the planet. With regions bearing the brunt of the crisis, affecting businesses, jobs and people generally, regional policies are very much part of the solution.

The pace of expansion decelerated moderately in the first half of 2008 and recent data point to a further weakening of activity. Amid the global slowdown, growth is projected to fall below potential, although income tax cuts should support private consumption. With declining oil prices and persisting, albeit abating, demand pressures in labour and product markets, core inflation is expected to subside more gradually than headline inflation.

Can cutting down on sugar subsidies lead to healthier trade competition and trimmer prices? The 2005 European Union market reforms aim to thin EU farmers’ sugar subsidies and cut out obsolete sugar mills. Sugar Policy Reform in the European Union and in World Sugar Markets maps out how this might work.

The first half of 2007 saw an acceleration of economic activity, driven by booming domestic demand. Growing labour shortages have fuelled strong wage increases. The pick-up in unit labour costs and record-high capacity utilisation rates have darkened the inflation outlook. Persistent strength in domestic demand should support growth, but the current account deterioration is projected to continue.

“One of the most remarkable transitions in modern history,” is how Secretary-General Angel Gurría described Poland’s accomplishments since the end of the Cold War, in a special address at a conference celebrating 10 years of Polish membership of the OECD held in Warsaw on 23 November 2006.

Poland has just marked 10 years as a member of the OECD. It has made considerable progress, but more is needed to speed up convergence with the most advanced European economies.

After two years of slow growth and rising unemployment, GDP in Poland finally turned around in 2004 and is set to pick up to around 4.5% in 2006-07. According to the latest OECD Economic Survey of Poland (June 2006), the long process of convergence with EU partners may have resumed, though with GDP per head still under 45% of the EU average, there is much to be done.