The tenth annual economic review of the Organization for European Economic Cooperation (OEEC) appeared in February 1959 under the title Policies for Sound Economic Growth. Its major conclusions were as follows: 1) policy must generally be focused on the stimulation of an adequate rate of economic growth; 2) the measures adopted must not lead to a rate of growth of demand which might give rise to inflation and balance-of-payments disequilibrium, and which could not therefore be sustained; 3) in view of the large increase in productive capacity in recent years, there was scope for a greater emphasis on increasing consumption; 4) there was need for a stimulus to revive international trade, if possible through a more economic pattern of trade and use of investment resources; 5) member countries should act in concert and coordinate their national policies; 6) the countries in a stronger economic position had the major responsibility for ensuring a renewal of growth, although those still subject to inflationary pressures must continue to apply restraining measures; 7) special consideration must be given to the difficulties of those countries and regions in Europe which were in the course of development and relied heavily on agricultural exports; 8) there must be a stabilization policy appropriate to a phase of renewed expansion; 9) excessive over-all demand should be avoided, as well as cost inflation; and 10) improvements in short-term economic indicators needed to be promoted.

According to press reports, the foreign ministers of Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, east Germany, Poland, Rumania, and the Soviet Union met in Warsaw with the deputy foreign ministers of Hungary and the People's Republic of China on April 27–28, 1959. Although for formal and legal reasons the Chinese minister had the status of an observer, he nevertheless took a full part in the bloc's determination of its European policy. The conference was said to have been the first occasion on which the Soviet Union had called together the other members of the Pact to brief and consult with them on its policy before a four-power meeting.

The 29th annual report of the Bank for International Settlements, covering the financial year from April 1, 1958, to March 31, 1959, was submitted to the annual general meeting of the Bank held at Basle on June 8, 1959. In his introduction to the report, the General Manager of the Bank, Mr. Guillaume Guindey, announced a net profit amounting to 9,550,894 gold francs at the close of the financial year, compared with 9,317,738 gold francs for the preceding year. Declaration of a dividend of 6 percent was again recommended, involving the distribution of 7,500,000 gold francs, so that the sum of 9,279,928 gold francs would be carried forward.

The fourteenth regular session of the contracting parties to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) was held in Geneva from May 11 to 30, 1959. Mr. W. C. M. Beale (United States) spoke at the opening meeting to urge west European countries to end discrimination against dollar imports. At the same meeting it was decided to admit Spain as an observer. Mr. Fernando Garcia-Oldini of Chile, chairman of GATT, referred in his opening address to the brighter prospects for international trade, as the threat of economic recession began to fade.

The ninth meeting of the International Whaling Commission was held in London in June 1957. Commissioners from all the members were present, with the exception of Panama and Canada. The latter, however, was represented by an observer, while observers were also present from Argentina, Italy, and Portugal, and from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea.