U.S. Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lew presented [remarks](https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/jl0427.aspx) at the [IMF-World Bank Spring Meetings](https://www.imf.org/external/spring/2016/) on Friday. He noted that at both the [G-20 Meeting of Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors](http://wjb.mof.gov.cn/pindaoliebiao/gongzuodongtai/201604/t20160416_1952794.html) and the Spring Meetings interest had centered around the drivers of global growth, with the United States promoting the need for decisive policies to boost demand and promote a sustainable and balanced global recovery. *”Global growth to create jobs and raise living standards must remain at the top of the global community’s economic agenda,”* he said.

Secretary Lew also presented remarks during an International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC) [press conference](http://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/jl0428.aspx) on Saturday, speaking to support for the IMF, the strengths of the US economy, and the need for countries around the world to use all available policy tools (monetary, fiscal and structural) to support growth and job creation in order to improve the global economy.

He took the opportunity to comment on the “de-risking” practices of some large banks, indicating that the US Treasury will continue working with its international partners, including the FSB, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), IMF and the World Bank, to address challenges related to de-risking, including *”prioritizing technical assistance aimed at helping countries address deficiencies in their financial sector supervision and by clarifying regulatory expectations.”*

**Tax evasion and tax avoidance**

The Treasury Secretary pointed out that the United States has led the world in automatic exchange with the enactment of FATCA in 2010, and remains committed to implementing the OECD/G20 BEPS project, including the requirement that large multinationals report to tax authorities certain financial and tax information on a country by country basis. *”Tax evasion and tax avoidance hurt government budgets, reduce the equity of our tax systems and hinder global growth,”* he said, further noting that *”the effective implementation of international standards is a key issue for the United States.”*

Also in Washington, World Bank President Kim Jim Yong emphasized the danger of tax evasion to the global economy, while G-20 officials called on the OECD to report the list of countries and jurisdictions that haven’t signed up to new international standards on tax transparency and information sharing.